[Talk] Orit Shaer: Tangible, Embodied, and AI-Augmented Interaction for Work and Learning

October 14, 2025
Orit Shaer

When: Friday, October 24, 3:00 PM
Where: Tyler 055

Abstract:
For several decades, tangible and embodied interaction (TEI)—human-computer interaction that engages our bodies and physical environment—has been the topic of intense research. My recent book Weaving Fire into Form: Aspirations for Tangible and Embodied Interaction (Spring 2022, ACM Books), co-authored with Brygg Ullmer, Caroline Hummels, and Ali Mazalek, aims to provide a resource for teaching and research in this field. It investigates the conceptual foundations of TEI and sets aspirations for its future.

In this talk, I will share highlights from the book and showcase examples of novel tangible and embodied systems developed in my lab that address real-world challenges related to the future of work and learning. These include interfaces designed to enhance creativity and collaboration in remote meetings and mobile environments. Building on this foundation, I will also discuss our more recent investigations into human–AI co-creation, where generative AI is integrated into the tangible and embodied interaction design process to support ideation, reflection, and decision-making.

Finally, I will introduce new research methods we have developed to evaluate the impact of these systems on individuals and teams, including mixed-method studies that combine behavioral and physiological data, semantic analysis, participant reflection, and collaborative outcomes. Together, these threads outline a vision for designing interactive systems that are materially grounded, human-centered and socially aware.

Bio:
Orit Shaer is Professor and co-Chair of Computer Science at Wellesley College. She founded and directs the Wellesley College Human-Computer Interaction (WHCI) Lab. Her research focuses on novel human-computer interaction for the future of work and learning. Shaer is a Senior Member of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), and a recipient of several NSF and industry awards including the prestigious NSF CAREER Award. She is a co-director of an NSF funded International Research Experiences for Students in Germany on Human-AI Interaction for the Future of Work. She is a co-founder and steering committee co-chair of the CHIWork conference, which focuses on understanding how human-computer interaction will support work in the future. She is also the steering committee co-chair for the ACM conference on Tangible Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI).