Reconfigurable physical interfaces empower users to swiftly adapt them for tailored requirements or preferences. Shape-changing interfaces enable such reconfigurability, avoiding the cost of refabrication or replacements of parts that traditional interfaces entail. However, reconfigurable interfaces are often bulky, expensive, or inaccessible. We propose a reversible shape-changing mechanism that enables reconfigurable 3D printed structures via translations and rotations of parts. We investigate a fabrication technique that allows the reconfiguring of interfaces using magnets and the thermoplastic nature of heated polymer. Proposed tangible interfaces achieve fine-tunable haptic feedback and adjustment of different user affordances by reconfiguring input motions. We present a design space and demonstrate it through applications in rehabilitation, communication, accessibility, safety, and gaming.
Himani Deshpande, Bo Han, Kongpyung (Justin) Moon, Andrea Bianchi, Clement Zheng, and Jeeeun Kim. Reconfigurable Interfaces by Shape Change and Embedded Magnets. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ‘24).