Tim Moesgen is a doctoral researcher based at Aalto University in Finland, holding a Bachelor's degree in Media and Interaction Design, as well as a Master's degree in Collaborative and Industrial Design. His current research focuses on exploring haptic and thermal interaction design, alongside the development of multi-sensory interfaces.

With a background in both research and design, Tim has collaborated in various multidisciplinary environments across Germany, the United States, and Finland.

Find CV here ︎

Key Interests

︎ Thermal + Haptic Experiences

︎ Wearable Technology  

︎ Embodied Interactions

︎ Speculation + Futures Thinking for HCI

Title: Soft Touch Workshop
(Summer 2022)

Teaching: 4-day online workshop on textile interfaces

“Soft Touch” workshop explored the creation of soft interfaces for human computing interaction. The development of IoT technologies is in need of better tangible interfaces, where the experience of interaction can include the whole body and senses. Textiles in this field present themselves as exciting materials with special haptic characteristics that can trigger movements, gestures, and feelings that affect the way humans approach digital interfaces. Frame on Material Driven Design methodologies, this workshop invites the students to explore the physical world of soft materials, textures, and shapes. They were able to create their own soft interfaces with a focus on haptics, aiming to communicate in an interactive way with a digital data visualization code in Processing.

The teaching process included theoretical contents regarding smart textiles, haptics, and material-driven design for HCI, as well as technical knowledge about basic circuits and Processing. The design process started with personal questions on how these new interfaces could enable new ways of interaction in specific contexts, for example, a visually impaired visitor to a museum. The outcomes are both physical and digital and expect to create discussion on how we are relating to digital interfaces and how there is much to explore yet.

Part of DigitalFUTURES organized by Tongji University - a yearly series of online events, including workshops, doctoral consortium, conference, awards, and exhibitions

︎ Workshop website

︎︎︎ In collaboration with Sofia Guridi

Soma Play

Playful, sensory re-education

People who suffer from sensory loss of touch – through neurological disorders including stroke or traumatic experiences – need to train sensory stimulation so their limbs can gain functionality again.

Soma Play is a set of different wearable sensory-stimulating modules which can be placed independently onto the body. In a playful way, these modules invite the user to explore and reconnect with their body through haptic, visual and aural stimulation.

︎︎︎ In collaboration with Sofia Guridi

Product Design, UI&UX, Empathic Design

Figma Prototyping

How might we design social technologies that help individuals experiencing pregnancy loss to find the support they need?

CONTEXT
20% of recognized pregnancies in the U.S. lead to a pregnancy loss. Pregnancy loss is stigmatized and has negative well-being effect. There are barriers to self-disclosure and social support exchange.

IDEA
Our prototype design is a mobile app called Not Alone that helps users to find others with similar experiences within and outside of their existing social media circles.

PROCESS
1. Empathizing with potential users through interviews
2. Defining goals and design challenge
3. Ideating several ideas
4. Developing a prototype
5. Testin prototype with users

︎ PERSONAL INFORMATION
Users can upload a profile picture and enter screen names, location, age, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and relationship status. They can also share details such as current number of children, number of pregnanc losses, medical condition(s), and more

︎ SELF-EXPRESSION VIA STORIES AND REACTIONS
Not Alone users can create stories using text and pictures with different levels of privacy. Users can view their own stories and
others’. They can privately message story writers and interact with the story in several ways: like, love, hug, “I feel you”, and comment.

︎ SEARCH CONNECTIONS AND CONNECT
Once users enter their own information, they can search for connections in social media platforms they already use or simply search all Not Alone users, and can filter potentia connections based on the aforementioned personal information fields

︎︎︎ In collaboration with Nazanin Andalibi, Gabriela Marcu, Andrea Forte and Rebecca Mullin