Research Interests
I explore how organic and living matter can be leveraged to design sustainable interactive systems. My work investigates biofabrication as a means to rethink materiality, interaction models, and the lifecycle of technological artifacts within Human-Computer Interaction.
KEYWORDS: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Biodesign; Embedded Systems; Emerging Fabrication Paradigms; Sustainability
KEYWORDS: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Biodesign; Embedded Systems; Emerging Fabrication Paradigms; Sustainability
Education
09/2021
- present
- present
Saarland University, Saarland Informatics Campus, GERMANY
PhD in Computer Science
Advisors: Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dr. Marc Teyssier, Dr. Samuel Huron
PhD in Computer Science
Advisors: Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dr. Marc Teyssier, Dr. Samuel Huron
09/2021
- present
- present
Doctoral School of Institut Polytechnique de Paris, FRANCE
PhD in Computer Science
Advisors: Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dr. Marc Teyssier, Dr. Samuel Huron
PhD in Computer Science
Advisors: Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dr. Marc Teyssier, Dr. Samuel Huron
09/2016
-02/2022
-02/2022
ESILV De Vinci Higher Education, FRANCE
M.Sc. in Innovation, Research, and Manufacturing
Advisor: Dr. Clement Duhart
M.Sc. in Innovation, Research, and Manufacturing
Advisor: Dr. Clement Duhart
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
02/2025
- present
- present
University of California, Berkeley, USA
Visiting Research Scholar | Hosted by Prof. Lining Yao, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Visiting Research Scholar | Hosted by Prof. Lining Yao, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
04/2021
-09/2021
-09/2021
Saarland University, Saarland Informatics Campus, GERMANY
Research Intern | Hosted by Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dept. of Computer Science
Research Intern | Hosted by Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dept. of Computer Science
Full Paper Publications
[3]
Madalina Nicolae, Claire Lefez, Anne Roudaut, Samuel Huron, Jürgen Steimle, and Marc Teyssier. 2024. SoftBioMorph: Fabricating Sustainable Shape-changing Interfaces using Soft Biopolymers. In Proceedings of the 2024 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS ’24). https://doi.org/10.1145/3643834.3661610
[2]
Madalina Nicolae, Vivien Roussel, Marion Koelle, Samuel Huron, Marc Teyssier, and Jürgen Steimle. 2023. BioHybrid Devices: Prototyping Interactive Devices with Growable Materials. In Proceedings of the 36th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST ’23). 🏅 https://doi.org/10.1145/3586183.3606774
[1]
Marion Koelle, Madalina Nicolae, Aditya Shekhar Nittala, Marc Teyssier, and Jürgen Steimle. 2022. Prototyping Soft Devices with Interactive Bioplastics. In Proceedings of the 35th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST ’22).🏆https://doi.org/10.1145/3526113.3545623
DEMOS & POSTERS
[3]
Maximilian Krieger, Madalina Nicolae, and Jürgen Steimle. 2025. Living Layers: Designing Modular E-Skin with Bacterial Cellulose. In Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI '25). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 94, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1145/3689050.3705997
[2]
Madalina Nicolae, Vivien Roussel, Marion Koelle, Claire Lefez, Anne Roudaut, Samuel Huron,Marc Teyssier, and Jürgen Steimle. 2024. Biomaterials for Prototyping in HCI. Mensch und Computer 2024 - Workshopband. Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. MCI: Demos: Interactive Systems or Demonstrators. Karlsruhe. 1.-4. September 2024. 🏅 https://doi.org/10.18420/muc2024-mci-demo-366
[1]
Jürgen Steimle, Marie Muehlhaus, Madalina Nicolae, Aditya Shekhar Nittala, Narjes Pourjafarian, Adwait Sharma, Marc Teyssier, Marion Koelle, Bruno Fruchard, and Paul Strohmeier. 2023. Design
and Fabrication of Body-Based Interfaces (Demo of Saarland HCI Lab). In Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’23). 🏅 https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3583916
and Fabrication of Body-Based Interfaces (Demo of Saarland HCI Lab). In Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’23). 🏅 https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3583916
invited talks
07/2025
Rethinking Interactive Devices through Biomaterials
Stanford University, USA
Stanford University, USA
02/2024
Towards Digital Biofabrication and Sustainable Innovation
University College London, UNITED KINGDOM
University College London, UNITED KINGDOM
11/2023
Biomaterials as base of new design paradigms
École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD), FRANCE
École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD), FRANCE
06/2022
Towards Organic Human-Computer Interfaces
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Make Lab, SOUTH KOREA
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Make Lab, SOUTH KOREA
Art Exhibitions
2024
BioHybrid Device – Grown Technology, Future Materials Conference 2024
MOME Budapest, HUNGARY
MOME Budapest, HUNGARY
2024
BioHybrid Device – Grown Technology, Dutch Design Week 2024 Exhibition
BioArt Laboratories, NETHERLANDS
BioArt Laboratories, NETHERLANDS
2024
Biohybrid Device, Who is playing with us?
esc medien kunst labor, AUSTRIA
esc medien kunst labor, AUSTRIA
2024
Prototyping Soft Devices with Interactive Bioplastics
Innovation Center of Saarland University, GERMANY
Innovation Center of Saarland University, GERMANY
HONOURS & AWARDS
Best Paper Award UIST 2022
Best Demo Award, UIST 2022, CHI 2023
Honorable Mention Demo Award, UIST 2023, MuC 2024
Special recognition for outstanding reviews, ACM UIST 2023, ACM CHI 2024.
Jury’s Choice Award – Eco Tech Fusion, E-Fashion Awards 2020
Best Demo Award, UIST 2022, CHI 2023
Honorable Mention Demo Award, UIST 2023, MuC 2024
Special recognition for outstanding reviews, ACM UIST 2023, ACM CHI 2024.
Jury’s Choice Award – Eco Tech Fusion, E-Fashion Awards 2020
TEACHING
SS 2024
Bio-based Fabrication for Sustainable Interactive Systems | Prof. Jürgen Steimle
Graduate and undergraduate seminar. Organizer and advisor.
Saarland University, GERMANY
Graduate and undergraduate seminar. Organizer and advisor.
Saarland University, GERMANY
WS 2022 &
WS 2022
WS 2022
Design for Bio-Material and Low-Technologies | Dr. Marc Teyssier
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
WS 2022
HMAE - Circuit Design and Manufacturing | Dr. Clement Duhart
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
SS 2024
Interactive Systems | Prof. Jürgen Steimle, Dr. Martin Schmitz
Undergraduate course. Teaching Assistant. Weekly tutorials management and final exam organization.
Saarland University, GERMANY
Undergraduate course. Teaching Assistant. Weekly tutorials management and final exam organization.
Saarland University, GERMANY
WS 2021
HMAE - Wearable, Soft and Active Matter Technologies | Dr. Clement Duhart
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
Graduate course. Teaching Assistant. Lecture content creation and teaching.
De Vinci Innovation Center, FRANCE
SERVICES
ACademic Services
2022 - present
Conference paper reviewing ACM UIST, CHI, DIS, TEI.
2024
Conference organization Social Media Chair and Session Chair for German Pre-CHI 2024.
SCHOOL SERVICES
2020
-2021
-2021
Board Advisor ESN DeVinci ( IXESN ), De Vinci Higher Education
Consulting in the organization, juridical framework, and long-term strategy.
Consulting in the organization, juridical framework, and long-term strategy.
2019
-2020
-2020
Association President ESN DeVinci ( IXESN ), De Vinci Higher Education
International Student Association, partner of the International Relations Department in charge of 500 incoming students annually.
International Student Association, partner of the International Relations Department in charge of 500 incoming students annually.
2019
Activity Administrative Supervisor, De Vinci Higher Education
Administrative, juridical, and activity supervision for 56 student associations.
Administrative, juridical, and activity supervision for 56 student associations.