Empowering Sustainable E-Textiles: DIY Biofiber Wet Spinning for Community Material ExplorationRecent research in e-textiles within the HCI community has shown a growing interest in sustainable prototyping to reduce the environmental impact of waste generated during e-textile fabrication. Meanwhile, the textile crafts community is exploring alternative sustainable materials. Despite shared goals, communication, knowledge exchange, and collaboration between these two disciplines remain limited. This work leverages HCI knowledge in open-source wet spinning and biofiber recipes to empower individuals in the textile crafts community to create functional biodegradable yarns for e-textile prototyping at home or in individual textile studios. To better understand their material exploration needs, we hosted a community-engaged workshop. Our findings emphasized the need for user-friendly machine designs, the value of hands-on learning, and the benefits of iterative exploration for examining the design affordances of material temporality. Through these efforts, we aim to promote sustainable making via community engagement and provide more widely available technical tools and curriculum resources for material-driven craft explorations.2025JZJingwen Zhu et al.Electronic Textiles (E-textiles)Shape-Changing Materials & 4D PrintingSustainable HCIDIS
LivingLoom: Investigating Human-Plant Symbiosis through Integrating Living Plants into (E-)TextilesLivingLoom is a design inquiry that proposes a post-anthropocentric approach to fabrication by integrating living plants directly into textiles. Industrial textile fabrication views plants as passive resources. They are grown, harvested, and spun into yarns for textile production, mainly to serve human needs. While efficient, this approach overlooks the intrinsic value of these organisms as living beings. LivingLoom fabrication approach wet-spins biodegradable yarns with seeds that can be further integrated into textiles that can sprout and grow. We present a design space for incorporating microgreen seeds into textiles with a 10-day growth cycle, leveraging care-based fabrication and interaction. We conducted a three-day user study to understand how people wear and care for plant-integrated textiles, revealing new possibilities for living textiles and care-based interactions. LivingLoom examines the intimacy between humans and plants in textile forms, shedding light on the design potential for the care-based fabrication of (e-)textiles.2025JZJingwen Zhu et al.Cornell UniversityShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsElectronic Textiles (E-textiles)Human-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)CHI
ECSkin: Tessellating Electrochromic Films for Customizable On-skin DisplaysKu等人提出ECSkin，利用镶嵌电致变色薄膜制作可定制皮肤显示器，实现个性化可穿戴显示功能。2024PKPin-Sung Ku et al.Shape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsOn-Skin Display & On-Skin InputUbiComp
MediKnit: Soft Medical Making for Personalized and Clinician-Designed Wearable Devices for Hand EdemaKim 等人开发 MediKnit 软医疗制作系统，支持临床医生为手部水肿患者快速设计与定制个性化可穿戴压力设备，实现低成本临床解决方案。2024HKHeather Jin Hjee Kim et al.Haptic WearablesShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsChronic Disease Self-Management (Diabetes, Hypertension, etc.)UbiComp
Exploring On-Skin Prototyping Toolkits for Wearable Creation: A Workshop Study with Middle School StudentsEmerging wearable construction toolkits offer new avenues for hands-on learning through an accessible and creative making process. This paper uses an on-skin wearable prototyping toolkit in hands-on workshops with a total of 45 middle-school students aged between 11 and 15. Besides investigating the effectiveness of utilizing the on-skin toolkit to foster creativity, we iteratively designed and optimized the workshop format, which consists of a hands-on tutorial, a group-making process, and a presentation of project prototypes. Our findings suggest positive engagement and interest in the making process from the middle-school students who participated in the on-skin wearable workshop.2024SJShuwen Jiang et al.Haptic WearablesOn-Skin Display & On-Skin InputUbiComp
Ecothreads: Prototyping Biodegradable E-textiles Through Thread-based FabricationWe present EcoThreads, a sustainable e-textile prototyping approach for fabricating biodegradable functional threads. We synthesized two thread-based fabrication methods, wet spinning and thread coating, to fabricate functional threads from biomaterials or modify natural fiber to achieve conductive or interactive functionality. We built a wet spinning tool from a modified DIY syringe pump to spin biodegradable conductive threads. The conductive and interactive threads can be further integrated into textiles through weaving, knitting, embroidery, and braiding. We conducted a workshop study inviting e-textile practitioners to use the materials to fabricate e-textile swatches for transient use cases. The EcoThreads approach presents a path for individual creators to incorporate biodegradable material choices toward sustainable e-textile practices.2024JZJingwen Zhu et al.Cornell UniversityHaptic WearablesElectronic Textiles (E-textiles)Ecological Design & Green ComputingCHI
SkinLink: On-body Construction and Prototyping of Reconfigurable Epidermal InterfacesApplying customized epidermal electronics closely onto the human skin offers the potential for biometric sensing and unique, always-available on-skin interactions. However, iterating designs of an on-skin interface from schematics to physical circuit wiring can be time-consuming, even with tiny modifications; it is also challenging to preserve skin wearability after repeated alteration. We present SkinLink, a reconfigurable on-skin fabrication approach that allows users to intuitively explore and experiment with the circuitry adjustment on the body. We demonstrate SkinLink with a customized on-skin prototyping toolkit comprising tiny distributed circuit modules and a variety of streamlined trace modules that adapt to diverse body surfaces. To evaluate SkinLink's performance, we conducted a 14-participant usability study to compare and contrast the workflows with a benchmark on-skin construction toolkit. Four case studies targeting a film makeup artist, two beauty makeup artists, and a wearable computing designer further demonstrate different application scenarios and usages. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/35962412023PKPIN-SUNG KU et al.Haptic WearablesOn-Skin Display & On-Skin InputUbiComp
BioWeave: Weaving Thread-Based Sweat-Sensing On-Skin InterfacesThere has been a growing interest in developing and fabricating wearable sweat sensors in recent years, as sweat contains various analytes that can provide non-invasive indications of various conditions in the body. Although recent HCI research has been looking into wearable sensors for understanding health conditions, textile-based wearable sweat sensors remain underexplored. We present BioWeave, a woven thread-based sweat-sensing on-skin interface. Through weaving single-layer and multi-layer structures, we combine sweat-sensing threads with versatile fiber materials. We identified a design space consisting of colorimetric and electrochemical sensing approaches, targeting biomarkers including pH, glucose, and electrolytes. We explored 2D and 3D weaving structures for underexplored body locations to seamlessly integrate sweat-sensing thread into soft wearable interfaces. We developed five example applications to demonstrate the design capability offered. The BioWeave sensing interface can provide seamless integration into everyday textile-based wearables and offers the unobtrusive analysis of health conditions.2023JZJingwen Zhu et al.Biosensors & Physiological MonitoringElectronic Textiles (E-textiles)UIST
Skinergy: Machine-Embroidered Silicone-Textile Composites as On-Skin Self-Powered Input SensorsWe propose Skinergy for self-powered on-skin input sensing, a step towards prolonged on-skin device usage. In contrast to prior on-skin gesture interaction sensors, Skinergy's sensor operation does not require external power. Enabled by the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) phenomenon, the machine-embroidered silicone-textile composite sensor converts mechanical energy from the input interaction into electrical energy. Our proof-of-concept untethered sensing system measures the voltages of generated electrical signals which are then processed for a diverse set of sensing tasks: discrete touch detection, multi-contact detection, contact localization, and gesture recognition. Skinergy is fabricated with off-the-shelf materials. The aesthetic and functional designs can be easily customized and digitally fabricated. We characterize Skinergy and conduct a 10-participant user study to (1) evaluate its gesture recognition performance and (2) probe user perceptions and potential applications. Skinergy achieves 92.8% accuracy for an 11-class gesture recognition task. Our findings reveal that human factors (e.g., individual differences in skin properties, and aesthetic preferences) are key considerations in designing self-powered on-skin sensors for human inputs.2023TYTianhong Catherine Yu et al.Haptic WearablesOn-Skin Display & On-Skin InputUIST
SkinPaper: Exploring Opportunities for Woven Paper as a Wearable Material for On-Skin InteractionsPaper circuitry has been extensively explored by HCI researchers as a means of creating interactive objects. However, these approaches focus on creating desktop or handheld objects, and paper as a wearable material remains under-explored. We present SkinPaper, a fabrication approach using silicone-treated washi paper to weave lightweight and easy-to-fabricate on-skin interactions. We adopt techniques from paper weaving and basketry weaving practices to create paper-woven structures that can conform to the body. Our approach uses off-the-shelf materials to facilitate a highly customizable fabrication process. We showcase eight case studies to illustrate our approach's two to three-dimensional forms. To understand the expressiveness of the design space, we conducted a workshop study in which weavers created paper-woven on-skin interactions. We draw insights from the studies to understand the opportunities for paper-woven on-skin interactions.2023JZJingwen Zhu et al.Cornell UniversityHaptic WearablesOn-Skin Display & On-Skin InputCHI
KnitDema: Robotic Textile as Personalized Edema Mobilization DeviceHand edema, defined as swelling of the hands caused by excess fluid accumulation, is a pervasive condition affecting a person’s range of motion and functional ability. However, treatment strategies remain limited to time-consuming manual massage by trained therapists, deterring a widely accessible approach. We present KnitDema, a robotic textile device that allows sequential compression from distal to proximal finger phalanges for mobilizing edema. We machine-knit the device and integrate small-scale actuators to envelop granular body locations such as fingers, catering to the shape of the hand. In addition, the device affords customizable compression levels through the enclosed fiber-like actuators. We characterize compression parameters and simulate the shunting of edema through a mock fluid system. Finally, we conduct a case study to evaluate the feasibility of the device, in which five hand edema patients assess KnitDema. Our study provides insights into the opportunities for robotic textiles to support personalized rehabilitation.2023JKJin Hee (Heather) Kim et al.Cornell UniversityVibrotactile Feedback & Skin StimulationHaptic WearablesSurgical Assistance & Medical TrainingCHI
Patch-O: Shape Changing Woven Patches for On Body ActuationWe present Patch-O, a novel deformable interface devised as a woven patch that enables diverse movement-based interactions adaptive to garments or on-skin wearing. Patch-O interfaces are uniquely detachable and relocatable soft actuation units that can be sewn or attached to clothing or skin at various locations. To optimize the morphing effect while preserving a slim form factor, we introduce a construction approach that integrates actuators at a structural level and varies the texture and stiffness of the woven substrate locally. We implement three basic actuation primitives, including bending, expanding, and shrinking, and experiment with aggregation parameters to exhaustively extend the design space. A final workshop study inviting textile practitioners to create personalized designs of Patch-O provides insights into the expressiveness of the approach for wearable interactions. We conclude with three applications inspired by users’ designs and showcase the aesthetic and functional usages enabled by the deformable woven patches.2022PKPin-Sung Ku et al.Cornell University, Cornell UniversityShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsCHI
KnitSkin: Machine-Knitted Scaled Skin for LocomotionWe present KnitSkin, a bio-inspired sleeve that can traverse diverse cylindrical terrains, ranging from a user’s forearm at a wearable scale, to pipes and tree branches at an environmental scale. Fabricated with a machine knitted substrate, the sleeve configures a stepped array of knitted scales that exhibit anisotropic friction. Coupled with the extension of actuators enclosed in the sleeve, the scales enable effective directional locomotion on cylindrical surfaces with varying slopes, textures, and curvatures. KnitSkin’s substrates are characterized by scales whose geometries and materials can be fine-tuned and channels that can accommodate diverse actuators. We introduce the design elements of KnitSkin in which we characterize a series of substrate parameters and their resulting anisotropic behaviors. In evaluating the locomotion, we examine the variables associated with the surface and actuator characteristics. KnitSkin obtains diverse applications across different scales, including wearable interfaces, industrial pipe-monitoring, to agricultural robots.2022JKJin Hee (Heather) Kim et al.Cornell UniversityShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsShape-Changing Materials & 4D PrintingCHI
WovenProbe: Probing Possibilities for Weaving Fully-Integrated On-Skin Systems Deployable in the FieldOn-skin interfaces demonstrate great potential given their direct skin contact; however, conducting field studies of these devices outside of laboratories and in real settings remains a challenge. We conduct a research-through-design investigation using an extended woven practice for fabricating fully-integrated and untethered multi-sensor on-skin systems that are resilient, versatile, and capable of field deployment. We designed, implemented, and deployed a woven on-skin index-finger and thumb-based inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensing system for multi-hour use as a technology probe to understand the social, technical, and design facets towards moving integrated on-skin systems into a wearer’s daily life. Further, we integrate a woven NFC coil into the IMU on-skin system, which is wirelessly powered by a smartwatch substitute, signifying the potential of our woven approach for developing wirelessly powered on-skin systems for potential longer-term continuous wear. Our investigation and the lessons learned shed light on the opportunities for designing on-skin systems for everyday wear.2021KHKunpeng Huang et al.On-Skin Display & On-Skin InputDIS
KnitDermis: Fabricating Tactile On-Body Interfaces Through Machine KnittingWe present KnitDermis, on-body interfaces that deliver expressive non-vibrating mechanotactile feedback on the wearer's body. Fabricated through machine knitting, they embed shape-memory alloy micro-springs in knitted channels, which deliver tactile sensations on the skin when activated. KnitDermis interfaces take advantage of machine knitting's shaping properties which allow it to generate slim, stretchable, and versatile forms that can conform to underexplored body locations, such as protruded joints and convex body locations. We introduce a fabrication approach and a series of case studies to design a wide range of form factors, textures, and tactile patterns, including compression, pinching, brushing, and twisting. We conduct a user study to elicit KnitDermis' effectiveness and wearability on diverse body locations and engage users to unpack envisioned use cases and perceptions towards the interfaces. We draw insights from our extensive research-through-design investigations on the potential of knitting as a soft approach for close-body and expressive tactile interfaces.2021JKByungdoo Kim et al.Haptic WearablesShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsDIS
Probing User Perceptions of On-Skin Notification DisplaysOn-skin displays are emerging as a wearable form factor for the display of information; however, the perception of using such devices in public could determine whether they are eventually adopted or rejected. This study investigated the means by which on-skin notification displays are perceived by the general public. We adopted a mixed-methods approach to the analysis of results from an online survey (n = 254) and in-lab interviews (n = 36) pertaining to the novel form factor, device materiality, and envisioned use cases. The study was conducted in the US and Taiwan in order to examine cross-cultural attitudes toward device usage. The results of this structured examination provide valuable insights into the design of on-skin notification displays for everyday use across cultures.2020CKCindy Hsin-Liu Kao et al.Physical Interaction & RobotsCSCW
Weaving a Second Skin: Exploring Opportunities for Crafting On-Skin Interfaces Through WeavingWeaving as a craft possesses the structural, textural, aesthetic, and cultural expressiveness for creating a diversity of soft, wearable forms that are capable of technological integration. In this paper, we extend the woven practice for crafting on-skin interfaces, exploring the potential to "weave a second skin." Weaving incorporates circuitry in the textile structure, which, when extended to on-skin interface fabrication, allows for electrical connections between layers while maintaining a slim form. Weaving also supports multi-materials integration in the structure itself, offering richer materiality for on-skin devices. We present the results of extensive design experiments that form a design space for adapting weaving for on-skin interface fabrication. We introduce a fabrication approach leveraging the skin-friendly material of PVA, which enables on-skin adherence, and a series of case studies illustrating the functional and design potential of the approach. To understand the feasibility of on-skin wear, we conducted a user study on device wearability. To understand the expressiveness of the design space, we conducted a workshop study in which textiles practitioners created woven on-skin interfaces. We draw insights from this to understand the potential of adapting weaving for crafting on-skin interfaces.2020RSRuojia Sun et al.Haptic WearablesElectronic Textiles (E-textiles)On-Skin Display & On-Skin InputDIS