Alexandra Ion

Alexandra Ion is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at Carnegie Mellon University. She directs the Interactive Structures Lab, focusing on interactive design tools for digital fabrication of complex shapes and structures for novice users. Her research spans human-computer interaction, digital fabrication, metamaterials, and computational design. Ion's work has been published in and awarded by premier HCI venues and has been featured in exhibitions, including a permanent display at the Ars Electronica Center. Prior to joining CMU, she was a postdoc at ETH Zurich and a Ph.D. student at the Hasso Plattner Institute.

Alexandra Ion is an Assistant Professor at CMU HCII, specializing in Human Computer Interaction, Metamaterials, Fabrication, and Haptics. Her research explores innovative methods to enhance user interaction through tactile feedback, such as combining tactile stimulation with electrical muscle stimulation to simulate physical impact. She investigates metamaterial mechanisms and digital mechanical metamaterials, focusing on their applications in interactive devices and mixed reality. Ion's work also includes developing new fabrication techniques, such as 3D printing kinetic structures and creating modular construction kits for shape-changing interfaces. Her research emphasizes the integration of haptic feedback with digital systems to improve user experience and interaction design.