• About

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    Ken Nakagaki | 中垣 拳

    Interaction Designer / HCI Researcher

    Ken Nakagaki is an interaction designer and HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) researcher from Japan. He joined the University of Chicago's Computer Science Department as an Assistant Professor and founded the Actuated Experience Lab, or AxLab, in 2022.

    His research has focused on inventing and designing novel user interface technologies that seamlessly combine dynamic digital information or computational aids into daily physical tools and materials. He is passionate about creating novel physical embodied experiences via these interfaces through curiosity-driven tangible prototyping processes. At AxLab, he pursues research in actuated and shape-changing user interface technologies to design the future of user experiences.
     

    Before joining UChicago, he received his Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab, where Prof. Hiroshi Ishii was his advisor. There he focused his research on Actuated Tangible User Interfaces. Ken has presented at top HCI conferences (ACM CHI, UIST, TEI) and led demonstrations of his work at international exhibitions and museums, including the Ars Electronica Festival and Laval Virtual. He has received numerous awards, including the MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 Japan & Asia Pacific, the Japan Media Arts Festival, and the James Dyson Award.

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    Office: John Crerar Library Building 358 / Lab: 380

  • Education & Career

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    University of Chicago

    2021.1 -

    Bachelor of Policy Management (総合政策学部)

    [Major in Interaction Design]

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    MIT Media Lab

    2014.9 - Current

    Master in Science of Media Arts and Science

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    Tangible Media Group

    2014.9 - Current

    Master in Science of Media Arts and Science

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    Disney Research Pittsburgh

    2017.5 - 2017.8

    Lab Associate (Summer Internship)

    Mentor: Dr. Alanson Sample

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    Keio University SFC

    2013.4 - 2014.9

    Master in Media Arts and Governance (政策・メディア研究科)

    [Major in Interaction Design]

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    Kakehi Yasuaki Lab

    2010.4 - 2014.9

    Master in Media Arts and Governance (政策・メディア研究科)

    Bachelor of Policy Management (総合政策学部)

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    Keio University SFC

    2009.4 - 2013.3

    Bachelor of Policy Management (総合政策学部)

    [Major in Interaction Design]

  • CV and Other Material

  • Profile in Japanese - 日本語紹介文

    インタラクションデザイナー・HCI(ヒューマンコンピュータインタラクション)研究者。2022年1月より、シカゴ大学コンピュータサイエンス学部のAssistant Professor、Actuated Experience Lab [AxLab]を設立・主宰する。

     

    ロボティクス・インタラクション技術を用いて、ダイナミックなデジタル情報をフィジカルな道具や素材にシームレスに融合するインタフェース・デバイスの開発を行う。そのようなインタフェースによる新しい身体的知覚・体験のデザインを開拓する。ACM CHI、UIST、TEIなどの学会や、Ars Electronicaなどのアートフェスティバルなど、横断的に研究の発表・展示を行う。主な受賞に、Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific (2021)、 Golden A’ Design Award(2016)、文化庁メディア芸術祭 審査委員会推薦作品(2012/2016)、国際学生対抗バーチャルリアリティコンテスト(IVRC2011) 総合優勝など。

     

    2021年に、MIT Media Lab (Media Arts and Science Program)にて Ph.D. を取得。2016年 同修士課程修了。MIT以前は慶応SFCにて学士・修士を取得。2017年には研究員(インターン生)としてDisney Researchに在籍。

  • Media and Writing

    See Full Portfolio here (In-Progress)

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    Medium

    Research Writing

    [UIST '20, Nakagaki et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    note

    Research Writings (JP)

    [TEI '20, Nakagaki et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    YouTube

    Project and Experiment Videos

    [CHI '20, Mor et al]

    FastCo Innovation by Design Awards

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

  • Contact Me

    Feel free to contact me for any kind of collaboration, commercialization, talk and so on.