Donald Degraen

Donald Degraen is a Lecturer at the University of Canterbury's Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab NZ) within the Faculty of Engineering. His research intersects haptic perception, digital fabrication, and virtual reality, focusing on physical artifacts that enhance digital experiences.

• Current appointments: Lecturer at HIT Lab NZ (2024-present)
• Education: PhD in Computer Science (2023), M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (2012), B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering (2005)

Research Expertise spans multiple domains:

• Human-Computer Interaction: User-centered design methods, psychophysical experiments
• Virtual Reality: Physical gamification, haptic feedback systems
• Digital Fabrication: 3D printing (FDM, SLA, SLS), procedural generation
• Haptic Experience Design: Tactile texture generation, sensory substitution
• Living Media Interfaces: Ambient feedback systems, plant-based interfaces

Recent publications demonstrate expertise in:

• Haptic feedback mechanisms (TactStyle, WinDirect)
• Physical gamification (EcoMeal, Hakoniwa)
• VR interaction techniques (CollabJam, spatial haptics)
• Exergaming applications
• Metamaterials for haptics
• Passive haptic devices

Supervision: Registered to guide Master's/Doctoral students with 6 research-based degrees supervised (2023-2025). Courses taught include Human Interface Technology - Design and Evaluation (HITD602) and Human Interface Technology - Prototyping and Projects (HITD603).