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MagPixel: Modular Toolkit for Designing Interactive Magnetic Shape Displays

Published: 11 May 2024 Publication History

Abstract

This paper introduces MagPixel, a modular toolkit for democratizing the design and fabrication of interactive shape displays using magnetic soft materials in the realm of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Known for their instant responsiveness and flexibility, magnetic soft materials have been used in material science and soft robotics but remain under-explored in HCI. MagPixel addresses this gap by offering a user-friendly, cost-effective solution for creating morphing tangible interfaces actuated by external magnetic fields. Existing methods of fabricating magnetic soft interfaces are complex, requiring multiple specialized tools and skills for casting, magnetization, and assembly. By simplifying fabrication into straightforward, standardized procedures, MagPixel eliminates the need for proprietary materials and extensive resources. The toolkit provides DIY enthusiasts in the maker community with the means to effortlessly create and modify interactive magnetic soft displays, MagPixel paves the way for broader experimentation and innovation in interactive design and HCI.

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References

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Cited By

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  • (2024)MagneDot: Integrated Fabrication and Actuation Methods of Dot-Based Magnetic Shape DisplaysProceedings of the 37th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology10.1145/3654777.3676427(1-18)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    CHI EA '24: Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    May 2024
    4761 pages
    ISBN:9798400703317
    DOI:10.1145/3613905
    Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for third-party components of this work must be honored. For all other uses, contact the Owner/Author.

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    Publication History

    Published: 11 May 2024

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    Author Tags

    1. Shape-changing interfaces
    2. fabrication
    3. magnetic materials
    4. tangible interfaces

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    Overall Acceptance Rate 6,164 of 23,696 submissions, 26%

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    ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    April 26 - May 1, 2025
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    View all
    • (2024)MagneDot: Integrated Fabrication and Actuation Methods of Dot-Based Magnetic Shape DisplaysProceedings of the 37th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology10.1145/3654777.3676427(1-18)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024

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