Imagine an object that quietly changes its shape when exposed to heat or moisture. Like a flat surface that curves into a three-dimensional furniture, or an architectural structure that animates in response to changes in the environment. Such transformations are no longer speculative. Advances in shape-changing interfaces and 4D printing are allowing the creation of products that can transform, adapt, and respond to the world around them. As these technologies progress, an important question arises: how do people make sense of objects that can change form?  

Because of their ability to change shape, shape-changing interfaces (SCIs) allow a variety of input, output, and interaction mechanisms. A changed shape can communicate information, convey system state, express emotion, or serve a specific function. 4D printed artefacts are SCIs that can change shape under specific physical conditions, such as heat, moisture, or magnetic fields. They are manufactured by a process similar to 3D printing, and they make use of intrinsic material properties to change shape.

Leveraging SCIs’ unique behaviour and interaction possibilities depends on users being aware of them, and forms play a crucial role in communicating these expectations. Through this PhD research, the aim is to understand the relationship between form design and users’ expectations of and interactions with 4D printed artefacts. We attempt to answer questions along the lines of: How do forms of 4D printed artefacts shape user expectations? How do these expectations affect the ways in which people interact with 4D printed artefacts? And, how can we design and develop 4D printed artefacts that are more intuitive?