LineFORM: Revolutionizing Interaction Design

Ken Nakagaki's Tangible Media Group Unveils Shape-Changing Interface

LineFORM's unique properties lie in its form – a line. Using snake robotics technology, the interface can change its overall shape, offering a variety of inherent interactions. The design's strength lies in its abstractness of data representation, allowing users to knot, twist, or wrap the interface, much like a string or rope. The LineFORM prototypes, developed in different scales, are composed of a series of servo motors controlled by a microcontroller. A spandex skin protects the connectors and helps users view LineFORM as a single device.

The realization of LineFORM was a result of overcoming creative and technical challenges. The design team had to come up with a wide variety of applications and interaction scenarios from the simple idea of shape-changing lines. They also had to present the possibility of LineFORM through a preliminary prototype. To cover a wide range of user scenarios, they developed two scaled prototypes.

LineFORM was first presented to the public at UIST2015 in November 2015, a year after the project started at MIT Media Lab, Boston, Massachusetts. The design team continues to work on the next generation of LineFORM, exploring the design space of actuated curve interfaces. This new class of shape-changing interfaces offers new possibilities for display, interaction, and body constraint.

LineFORM's innovative design has not gone unnoticed. It was awarded the Golden A' Interface, Interaction, and User Experience Design Award in 2016. The award is granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, venerated products, and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology. LineFORM embodies extraordinary excellence and significantly impacts the world with its desirable characteristics.

In a demonstration scenario, visitors can watch LineFORM transform into different shapes and interact with the device through touching and manipulating. The design team envisions a future where transforming strings are woven into everyday life, revolutionizing the way we interact with technology.