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 Summary

Presentation

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

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