• 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

    *THE LIST IS NOT UPDATED AFTER 2022. Check AxLab page for the LATEST!!!

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    (Dis)Appearables

    Making TUIs Appear and Disappear with Stages

    [CHI '22, Nakagaki et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    OmniFiber

    Pneumatic Muscle Fiber Interaction Toolkit

    [UIST '21, Kilic et al]]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    HERMITS

    Mechanical Shell Add-ons for Robotic TUIs

    [UIST '20, Nakagaki et al]

    Japan Media Arts Festival - Jury Selections

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    Venous Materials

    Interactive Fluidic Mechanism

    [CHI '20, Mor et al]

    FastCo Innovation by Design Awards

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    TRANS-DOCK

    Shape Displays with Interchangeable Transducers

    [TEI '20, Nakagaki et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    inFORCE

    Bi-directional 'Force' Shape Display

    [TEI '19, Nakagaki et al]

    Honorable Mention Award

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    Force Jacket

    Pneumatically-Actuated Jacket for Embodied Haptic Experiences

    [CHI '18, Delazio et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    AnimaStage

    Animated Craft on Shape Display

    [DIS '17, Nakagaki et al]

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    ChainFORM

    Modular Line-based Shape Changing UIs

    [UIST '16, Nakagaki et al]

    YouFab Award - Finalist

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web
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    Materiable

    Representing Material Property with Shape Changing UIs

    [CHI '16, Nakagaki et al]

    Honorable Mention Award

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web

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    LineFORM

    Line-based Shape Changing UIs

    [UIST '15, Nakagaki et al]

    Golden A' Design Award

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web
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    TRANSFORM

    Dynamic and Adaptive Furniture

    [CHI '15 EA, Vink et al]

    Golden Mouse Award

    PDF | ACM | Video | Web  
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    COMP*PASS

    Digitally Augmented Compass

    [CHI '14 Interactivity, Nakagaki et al]

    James Dyson Award - TOP20

    PDF | ACM | Video
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    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

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    The University of Chicago

    Assistant Prof. of Computer Science Department

    Chicago, IL, USA
    Jan 2022 - 

    Director of AxLab

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    MIT Media Lab

    Postdoctoral Associate

    Cambridge, MA USA

    Sep 2021 - Dec 2021

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    MIT Media Lab

    M.S and Ph.D & Research Assistant

    Cambridge, MA USA

    Sep 2014 - Aug 2021

    Advisor: Prof. H. Ishii

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    Disney Research Pittsburgh

    Research Associate (Intern)

    Pittsburgh, PA USA

    May - Aug 2017

    Advisor: Dr. A. Sample

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    Keio University SFC

    B.A. and M.M.G

    Kanagawa, JAPAN

    Apr 2009 - Aug 2014

    Advisor: Prof. Y. Kakehi

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