Towards Accessible Mobility Support: User-Centered Design of a Passive, Multi-Functional, Low-Cost Knee Exoskeleton

Yuyu Lin, Yujia Liu, Emma Kim, Alexandra Ion.

• We designed a fully passive knee exoskeleton that locks during stance and unlocks during swing using underfoot load as the trigger, enabling more natural walking (including stairs/slopes) without electronics.
• The prototype combines load-triggered heel/toe switches with a mechanical AND gate and achieves lightweight, low-cost mobility support (0.95 kg, ~$38) in a sock-like form.

BrickSmart: Leveraging Generative AI to Support Children’s Spatial Language Learning in Family Block Play

Yujia Liu*, Siyu Zha*, Yuewen Zhang, Yanjin Wang, Yangming Zhang, Qi Xin, Lunyiu Nie, Chao Zhang, Yingqing Xu.

• We designed an AI Agent for children’s spatial language learning in family block play, using LLMs and Gen-AI to generate personalized block play instructions for creativity and eco-friendly reuse of bricks.
• Conducted a lab experiment with 24 parent-child pairs (children aged 6-8), demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in enhancing spatial language skills.

Mentigo: An Intelligent Agent for Mentoring Students in the Creative Problem Solving Process

Siyu Zha*, Yujia Liu*, Chengbo Zheng, Jiaqi Xu, Fuze Yu, Jiangtao Gong, Yingqing Xu.

• We developed Mentigo, an interactive agent using LLMs to mentor middle school students through the creative problem-solving (CPS) process, with dataset of real classroom interactions and an agentic workflow.
• Tested effectiveness through a comparative experiment with 12 students and feedback from 5 expert teachers, showing significant improvements in student engagement and creative outcomes.

Xstrings: 3D printing cable-driven mechanism for actuation, deformation, and manipulation

Jiaji Li, Shuyue Feng, Maxine Alexandra Perroni-Scharf, Yujia Liu, Emily Guan, Guanyun Wang, Stefanie Mueller.

• We developed Xstrings, a method for 3D printing cable-driven mechanisms in a single process, enabling four types of interactions: bend, twist, coil, and compress, activated by applying force to the cables.
• Investigated the impact of various printing parameters on maximum tensile strain and the repeatability of interactions without cable failure.

3D-Mirrorcle: Bridging the Virtual and Real through Depth Alignment in Smart Mirror Systems

Yujia Liu, Qi Xin, Chenzhuo Xiang, Yu Zhang, Lunyiu Nie, Xuhai Xu, Yingqing Xu.

• We developed 3DMirrorcle, a system addressing depth mismatch in AR smart mirrors using lenticular grating for a 3D display and algorithms for mirror reflection alignment and lenticular grating segmentation to align AR content with users’ reflections.
• Conducted user studies across various tasks and scenarios, demonstrating superior performance in user experience compared to existing solutions.

MindShift: Leveraging Large Language Models for Mental-States-Based Problematic Smartphone Use Intervention

Ruolan Wu, Chun Yu, Xiaole Pan, Yujia Liu, Ningning Zhang, Yue Fu, Yuhan Wang, Zhi Zheng, Li Chen, Qi-aolei Jiang, Xuhai Xu, Yuanchun Shi.

• We developed MindShift, a mobile app that uses LLMs to create dynamic, personalized content aimed at reducing problematic smartphone use, adapting to user context and mental states.
• Wizard-of-Oz and interview studies were conducted to identify key mental states, and the system was validated in a 5-week field trial with 25 participants, showing significant improvements in smartphone usage.

KeyFlow: Acoustic Motion Sensing for Cursor Control on Any Keyboard

Yujia Liu*, Qihang Shan*, Zhihao Yao, Qiuyu Lu.

• We developed KeyFlow, a system that integrates mouse functionality into keyboards using machine learning, enabling users to control the cursor by gliding their fingers across the surface without pressing keys.
• Our research shows that KeyFlow reduces hand movement by 78.3%, significantly enhancing typing efficiency.

FlexEOP: Flexible Shape-changing Actuator using Embedded Electroosmotic Pumps

Tianyu Yu, Yang Liu, Yujia Liu, Qiuyu Lu, Teng Han, Haipeng Mi.

• We developed FlexEOP, a method for creating fully flexible electroosmotic pumps, enabling adaptable, self-contained shape-changing actuators.
• FlexEOP’s versatility is demonstrated in applications such as flexible displays, panels, curved surfaces, and soft robotic fibers.

More Than Shapes: Exploring the Tactile Parameters of Art Appreciation for the Visually Impaired

MingYu Cui, Chao Yuan, Yujia Liu, Yingying Zheng.

• We enhanced art education for the visually impaired by focusing on Impressionist paintings through workshops.
• Experts translated key painting elements (layout, content, color, lighting, brushwork) into tactile forms, using clay modeling to help participants experience, analyze, and create art, enriching their engagement.