FFF Seminar: Emotional Design with Robotic Touch

Abstract

In this talk, Ran will share her journey of exploring Emotional Design with Robotic Touch, drawing from her design and research work. Her research focuses on designing expressive robotic touch with wearable technology, where she is particularly interested in investigating how the ambiguity caused by robotic touch's otherness could provoke alternative interpretations and open up new design opportunities. In her design practice, she is passionate about enhancing digital interactions through tangible interfaces and recreating the traditional human-object ritual with emerging technologies, which she calls "High-tech Nostalgia."

Bio

Ran Zhou is a researcher and designer interested in tangible interfaces, expressive haptics, and human-robot interaction. She is currently a 3rd-year Ph.D. student in Creative Technology and Design at ATLAS Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, where she is advised by Prof. Daniel Leithinger. Prior to joining ATLAS, she graduated with an MFA in Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design, advised by Prof. Harpreet Sareen. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Her works have been presented at venues like ACM CHI, DIS, TEI, UIST, VRST, and Siggraph Asia and recognized in design competitions such as IxDA's Interaction Awards and Fast Company's Innovation by Design Award.