Marcelo Coelho, Jamie Zigelbaum

Abstract

The design of physical interfaces has been constrained by the relative akinesis of the material world. Current advances in materials science promise to change this. In this paper, we present a foundation for the design of shape-changing surfaces in human–computer interaction. We provide a survey of shape-changing materials and their primary dynamic properties, define the concept of soft mechanics within an HCI context, and describe a soft mechanical alphabet that provides the kinetic foundation for the design of four design probes: Surflex, SpeakCup, Sprout I/O, and Shutters. These probes explore how individual soft mechanical elements can be combined to create large-scale transformable surfaces, which can alter their topology, texture, and permeability. We conclude by providing application themes for shape-changing materials in HCI and directions for future work.