Ken Nakagaki's Web

Ken Nakagaki

Interaction Designer / HCI Researcher @UChicago CS

'Actuated Experience'

I invent and speculate on the gap between our fingertips and the physical world, with means of physical computing, robotics, and HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) research. I investigate the future of the physical environment and materials coupled with computation for novel tangible and embodied experiences.
 
Currently, as an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, I direct Actuated Experience Lab - AxLab, where we invent and design the future User Experience based on actuated User Interface technology that shape-change and physic reconfigures.
 
*Please visit axlab.info for the latest projects and news from my lab. Please check AxLab's Twitter and Instagram as well!​

Research SummaryPresentation 

Originally created for MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 Japan Award Ceremony.
 
*Japanese Version: こちら

Selected Research

See Full Portfolio here

(Dis)Appearables

Making TUIs Appear and Disappear with Stages

[CHI '22, Nakagaki et al]
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

OmniFiber

Pneumatic Muscle Fiber Interaction Toolkit

[UIST '21, Kilic et al]]
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

HERMITS

 Mechanical Shell Add-ons for Robotic TUIs 

[UIST '20, Nakagaki et al]
Japan Media Arts Festival - Jury Selections
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

Venous Materials

 Interactive Fluidic Mechanism 

[CHI '20, Mor et al]
FastCo Innovation by Design Awards
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

TRANS-DOCK

 Shape Displays with Interchangeable Transducers 

[TEI '20, Nakagaki et al]
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

inFORCE

 Bi-directional 'Force' Shape Display 

[TEI '19, Nakagaki et al] 
Honorable Mention Award
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

Force Jacket

 Pneumatically-Actuated Jacket for Embodied Haptic Experiences 

[CHI '18, Delazio et al]
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

 AnimaStage 

 Animated Craft on Shape Display 

[DIS '17, Nakagaki et al]
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

ChainFORM

 Modular Line-based Shape Changing UIs 

[UIST '16, Nakagaki et al]
YouFab Award - Finalist
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

Materiable

 Representing Material Property with Shape Changing UIs 

[CHI '16, Nakagaki et al]
Honorable Mention Award
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

LineFORM

Line-based Shape Changing UIs

[UIST '15, Nakagaki et al]
Golden A' Design Award
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

TRANSFORM

Dynamic and Adaptive Furniture

[CHI '15 EA, Vink et al]
Golden Mouse Award 
PDF | ACM | Video | Web

COMP*PASS

Digitally Augmented Compass

[CHI '14 Interactivity, Nakagaki et al]
James Dyson Award - TOP20
PDF | ACM | Video

Petanko Roller

Rolling Pin-based Haptic Interface

[ACE '13, Nakagaki et al]
Japan Media Arts Festival - Jury Selections
PDF | Springer | Video

Career and Education

View the Full CV here

The University of Chicago

Assistant Prof. of Computer Science Department

Chicago, IL, USA
Jan 2022 - 
Director of AxLab

MIT Media Lab

Postdoctoral Associate

Cambridge, MA USA
Sep 2021 - Dec 2021

MIT Media Lab

M.S and Ph.D & Research Assistant

Cambridge, MA USA
Sep 2014 - Aug 2021 
Advisor: Prof. H. Ishii

Disney Research Pittsburgh

Research Associate (Intern)

Pittsburgh, PA USA
May - Aug 2017 
Advisor: Dr. A. Sample

Keio University SFC

B.A. and M.M.G

Kanagawa, JAPAN
Apr 2009 - Aug 2014 
Advisor: Prof. Y. Kakehi 

NewsWhat's New