GHOSTs (generic, highly-organic shape-changing interfaces) are display surfaces made of malleable materials that can change into and retain arbitrary shapes so as to display output from the system or afford new actions. At the same time, GHOSTs allow users to deform, touch, or otherwise manipulate the shape of their display surface to provide input to the system.

The project will design, develop, and evaluate GHOST prototypes. We combine disciplines focusing on (a) the hardware and software for shape change, using combinations of shape actuators and smart materials; (b) the industrial and interaction design for such interfaces, in particular how to make them physically appealing, useful, and usable; and (c) the user experience of interacting with GHOSTs, quantifying and modeling users’ performance with and affect towards the interface.

GHOST, is a collaborative project funded by the EU under the FET-Open program.