Squishy 2.0

Squishy is a tangible/deformable Interface in the form of a plushy that can be used to interact with generative AI beyond traditional chat-based input methods. After entering a prompt into an AI chat window, users often correct the AI's output by entering another prompt. Squishy enables users to react by interacting with a tangible interface, making the process more engaging and playful:

• Hitting > The user is not pleased with the output
• Shaking > The user is confused by the output
• Petting > The user is happy with the output
• ...

This concept has already been verified in a previous study. However, we want to improve the previous version by adding the following features:

• Voice recognition to enable the user to use voice input instead of prompting by text
• Text to speech to add feedback from Squishy to the user that goes beyond simple sounds
• A desktop application that serves as the frontend (displays the generated output, chat history, etc.)

What we expect:

• You have experience with hardware (working with microcontrollers, etc.)
• You have experience with (web) programming (frontend/backend)
• You can work independently

What you get:

• Two committed supervisors, weekly meetings, and hands-on advice
• (Co-)writing a scientific paper
• A masters thesis