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
*Check AxLab page for the most recent works!)

(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
News
What's New

Ken Nakagaki

Interaction Designer / HCI Researcher @UChicago CS

'Actuated Experience'

Research Summary

Presentation

Selected Research

*Check AxLab page for the most recent works!)

(Dis)Appearables

Making TUIs Appear and Disappear with Stages

OmniFiber

Pneumatic Muscle Fiber Interaction Toolkit

HERMITS

Mechanical Shell Add-ons for Robotic TUIs

Venous Materials

Interactive Fluidic Mechanism

TRANS-DOCK

Shape Displays with Interchangeable Transducers

inFORCE

Bi-directional 'Force' Shape Display

Force Jacket

Pneumatically-Actuated Jacket for Embodied Haptic Experiences

AnimaStage

Animated Craft on Shape Display

ChainFORM

Modular Line-based Shape Changing UIs

Materiable

Representing Material Property with Shape Changing UIs

LineFORM

Line-based Shape Changing UIs

TRANSFORM

Dynamic and Adaptive Furniture

COMP*PASS

Digitally Augmented Compass

Petanko Roller

Rolling Pin-based Haptic Interface

Career and Education

View the Full CV here

The University of Chicago

Assistant Prof. of Computer Science Department

MIT Media Lab

Postdoctoral Associate

MIT Media Lab

M.S and Ph.D & Research Assistant

Disney Research Pittsburgh

Research Associate (Intern)

Keio University SFC

B.A. and M.M.G

News

What's New