Jun Rekimoto earned his Ph.D. in Information Science from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1996. Since joining Sony Computer Science Laboratories (Sony CSL) in 1994, he has led pioneering research in Human-Computer Interaction, augmented reality, and Human Augmentation. He founded the Interaction Laboratory in 1999 and currently directs Sony CSL Kyoto Laboratory. Rekimoto is also Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo.

His projects include NaviCam, one of the world's first handheld AR systems; CyberCode, an early marker-based AR platform; and SmartSkin, a foundational multitouch technology. His recent work explores Human-AI Integration, silent speech interfaces, and the Internet of Abilities (IoA). He has received numerous honors, including ACM SIGCHI Academy membership and two ACM UIST Lasting Impact Awards.

Abstract
While traditional HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) is a research field that focuses on the interface between humans and machines, I advocate for Human Augmentation—humans enhanced by technology. The scope of augmentation extends beyond intellectual enhancement to encompass sensory, cognitive, physical, and existential dimensions. This augmentation extends beyond individual humans to develop into a future society called IoA (Internet of Abilities), where people and technology merge on networks and their capabilities are complementarity enhanced, leading to a world of Human-AI Integration where AI becomes integrated with human abilities. I will introduce examples such as silent speech, which enables communication without vocalization, and skill transmission systems where human vision merges with real-world agents, and discuss the future relationship between humans and technology.

Pedro Lopes is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at University of Chicago, who focuses on integrating computer interfaces with the human body. His novel types of computers augment the body, not just cognitively, but physically.

Pedro's work has received several awards, including eight ACM CHI/UIST Best Papers, and has captured the interest of the public in outlets such as the New York Times. Pedro is one of the technical program chairs of CHI 2026, one of the program chairs of UIST 2024, a Sloan Fellow, and a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and the IEEE VR New Significant Researcher Award.

Huaishu Peng is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland and director of the Small Artifacts Lab (SMART Lab). He explores tangible computing through an interdisciplinary research agenda that makes electronics more repairable, interfaces more accessible, and technology a medium for cultural expression.

His work has appeared at CHI, UIST, and SIGGRAPH, earning multiple Best Paper and Honorable Mention awards, and has been featured widely in the media, including Wired, MIT Technology Review, TechCrunch, and Gizmodo. He is also a recipient of the NSF Award to Advance Semiconductor Learning, and one of the subcommittee chairs of CHI 2026.

Abstract
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the hidden foundation of modern devices, yet their rigid, single-use design contributes to a growing global e-waste crisis. This talk explores how reimagining PCBs for circularity by making them reusable, reconfigurable, and dissolvable can reshape not only hardware but also human–computer interaction. I will present three systems: SolderlessPCB, which removes the need for solder so chips can be detached and reused; PCBRenewal, which enables a single board to be reconfigured for different applications, from a radio to a Game Boy; and DissolvPCB, the first fully dissolvable, 3D-printed PCB that recovers up to 98% of materials after use. Beyond their technical contributions, these systems show that sustainability is also an HCI challenge, empowering designers, educators, and engineers to assemble, repair, and repurpose electronics in new ways. By reframing circularity as an interactive design principle, this work demonstrates how computing can align with human values of repair, adaptability, and sustainability.

Andrea Bianchi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Design, an Adjunct Professor in the School of Computing, and the director of the Make Lab at KAIST, in South Korea. He researches in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on building tools for prototyping interactive systems and hardware devices for body augmentation in Mixed Reality. He is one of the program chairs of UIST 2025.

Before joining KAIST, he worked at Sungkyunkwan University (Korea) as a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science, and as a video game programmer for a New York startup. Andrea has published in major venues, including ACM CHI, UIST, and IMWUT, and his work has been recognized with multiple Best Paper Awards and Design Awards. His work has been covered by Engadget, ZDNet, New Scientist, MAKE, and Gizmodo, among others. Andrea received a Ph.D. from KAIST in 2012, and his Master's from New York University in 2007.

Abstract
Since the dawn of humanity, the history of the human race has been reflected in the tools we create and use. Many of these tools augment our physical capabilities: power tools enhance strength, bicycles improve locomotion efficiency, and glasses and microscopes extend vision and our ability to explore the world. Yet tools do more than amplify physical abilities—they also shape the way we think and understand reality. As expressed by the saying “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” (Maslow’s hammer), tools can unconsciously influence our perception of the world, our modes of reasoning, and our understanding of how to interact with our surroundings. At the same time, tools serve as catalysts for reflection. They act as lenses through which we engage in a dialogue with the world, offering situated affordances that enable activities previously impossible and reshaping how we approach problems, creativity, and design practice. In this presentation, I will showcase examples of digitally augmented physical tools from my lab that transform our perception of reality and offer new perspectives on the role of design. These examples highlight prototyping and making not merely as a means to produce an end result, but as an active process of exploration, reflection, and decision-making.