Design
I am a designer of inclusive interactive environments. My journey in the world of design has been shaped by a blend of creativity, technology, and a deep commitment to making the world more accessible and inclusive.
My design philosophy
Disability Advocacy
At the core of my design philosophy is a profound passion for disability advocacy and inclusivity. My projects are driven by the belief that technology and design should break down barriers rather than create them. I strive to co-create solutions that empower individuals with disabilities, enhancing their quality of life through innovative design.
Artful Interaction
I am dedicated to facilitating rich embodied interaction through design. I believe that technology should engage the senses, foster intimate connections, and promote a deeper understanding of the self and the world. Being a musician, much of my current design work harnesses the power of music to create meaningful connections between people.
Technology & Materiality
Tangible user interfaces are a cornerstone of my design approach. I believe that marrying physicality and digitality is essential for creating intuitive, accessible interactions. My work develops tangible interfaces to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds, making technology more approachable and engaging.
Hands-on Making
I have a love for making and crafting. I believe in the power of hands-on creation as a means to understand and connect with the physical world. Whether it's crafting tangible interfaces, or prototyping interactive environments, my work is a testament to the importance of hands-on creativity in the design process.
2013
I have always been a curious maker. In 2013, I felt a calling to do something meaningful for the autistic community. Inspired by social enterprises, I embarked on a journey to create a multisensory playground called "Planet Bobble." It was a dream of an inclusive, sensory-friendly space where autistic children and caregivers could connect and build a supportive community. Despite my passion, I lacked expertise, but this endeavour ignited a desire to keep creating playful environments.
Rachel and a drawing of “Planet Bobble” at the Singapore International Foundation.
2013 - 2015
Prototype of Abstract Musical Drawing, an interface that converts music to colour (2014 with Melvin Tan).
I dabbled in hackathons to develop projects that foster communication with non-speaking autistic individuals. During this time, I attempted to build a keyboard that taught autistic children to type, made a website to crowd-source communication cards for autistic children, and created a math game for autistic students with good math skills but poor motor skills. Tinkering also led me to explore making musical interfaces, a passion I pursued alongside my quest.
Sketches of various designs between 2013-2015, prototyped at different hackathons.
2016 - 2022
During my time at UC Berkeley, I immersed myself in my interdisciplinary environment, refining my skills through design classes and learning about various design frameworks. Engaging with makerspaces and presenting at community fairs, I integrated my interests in design, disability, embodied interaction, and music. The "Magical Musical Mat" is a testament to this fusion, and my design journey continues with ongoing projects.
The Magical Musical Mat (MMM) is an interactive environment that maps interpersonal touch to dynamically changing sounds. When two people stand/sit/lie on the mat and touch hands, music plays and changes with different touch-based gestures. The MMM is a means of going beyond speech and surfacing embodied interactions that are rich, intimate, and complex. The MMM has been in development since 2018 with Arianna Ninh and Beccy Abraham, and has undergone three design-based research cycles with autistic individuals.
Article featuring the Magical Musical Mat, a project that Arianna Ninh and Rachel Chen had worked on. This article was published by the Jacobs Innovation Center’s newsletter.
Article featuring Rachel Chen’s research and design work. This article was published in the Berkeley School of Education’s newsletter.
Today
Today, my goal is to perpetuate cycles of design, development, and evaluation, sharing my work to benefit the community. I aspire to collaborate with the disability community, engineers, designers, and organisations in the dissemination of research-driven interactive environments. In my free time, I continue to find joy in tinkering and making, fueling my creative spirit through new designs that are fun, artful, and elegant.
Rachel making a pair of dragon-wing earrings.
A collection of handmade Magical Musical Mats.
Messy debugging of hardware in the midst of a research project.
A sketch of a bubble umbrella that I attempted to design with Arianna.
Arianna and I cutting fabric for the Magical Musical Mat.
Sketches for a future design project called "DJ stims".