Ran Zhou

Ran Zhou is a designer and researcher interested in tangible interfaces, expressive haptics, human-robot interaction, and soma design. She is currently a 5th-year PhD student in Interaction Design Team at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Before transferring to KTH, she was a PhD student at University of Colorado, Boulder. Previously, she was a visiting PhD student at University of Chicago, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and University of Calgary. She graduated with an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Ran’s research focuses on designing expressive robotic touch using wearable and shape-changing technology. She is particularly interested in developing novel haptic interfaces and toolkits to empower touch ideation while exploring diverse perceptions and alternative interpretations. Through conducting design experiments, she aims to understand touch meaning-making and uncover creative design opportunities for expressive haptics. In her design practice, she is passionate about enhancing digital interactions through tangible interfaces and recreating the traditional human-object ritual with emerging technologies, which she calls “High-tech Nostalgia.”