KAN KUSAKABE

Hello,
I’m Kan !

I'm Kan Kusakabe, a third-year PhD student in Information Science at Hokkaido University. My research focuses on interactive interfaces (accessory-style designs, advanced sensing, and gesture input) and accessibility technology. My approach centers on interaction design and building working prototypes: I combine machine learning and 3D printing to rapidly turn ideas into functional interfaces that blend digital and physical experiences, and evaluate them through user studies. I'm open to research collaborations, internships, and career opportunities—feel free to get in touch!

Education

  • 2024-nowHokkaido UniversityPhD, Computer Science · Advisor: Daisuke Sakamoto
  • 2022-2024Hokkaido UniversityMaster of Computer Science
  • 2020-2022Hokkaido UniversityBachelor of Computer Science
  • 2015-2020NIT (KOSEN), Gifu CollegeAssociate Degree of Engineering

Work Experience

  • 2026Singapore Management UniversityVisiting Researcher · Mar–Oct 2026
  • 2024-2025LY CorporationResearch Intern · Jul 2024–Mar 2025

Technical skills

Languages

PyC#SwKtJSCDtAr

Frameworks & tools

  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow
  • Unity
  • ARKit
  • ROS 2
  • Flutter
  • React / Next.js
  • Fusion 360
  • Figma
  • Adobe CC
Rapid Prototyping3D PrintingMobile AppsMachine Learning

Highlights

  • 2025CHI 2025 Honorable MentionTop 5% of accepted papers · VR pointing with handheld HMDs
  • 2025WISS 2025 Sponsor Award2 papers, 1 demo and 1 invited talk accepted
  • 2024EXEX Doctoral FellowshipHokkaido University · 2024–2027
  • 2024Featured on TV“EXIT no Hakken Hokkaido!”

Keywords

Mobile InteractionGesture DesignVR / XR

Talks & Exhibits

CHI 2025
Symposium
FIT 2025
Top Conf.
NoMaps 2025
VR exhibit

Selected
Works

Handheld‑style HMD Pointing

Seven VR pointing methods for onsite exhibitions — dwell wins for newcomers.

CHI 2025 · Honorable Mention

RingSense

A phone ring holder with eight pressure sensors for back‑of‑device gestures.

IPSJ Journal 2025

BodSockets

Collapsible phone grips turned into a gestural back‑of‑device interface.

IPSJ Journal 2025

Game‑2‑X

Players of different games — Go vs. tic‑tac‑toe — play together.

WISS 2023 · Demo

Publications

  • 2025
    BodSockets: Enabling Back-of-Device Interaction on Smartphones with Socket-based Interface
    Kan Kusakabe, Kaori Ikematsu, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono.
    Transactions of the Information Processing Society of Japan, Vol. 66, No. 12, Feb. 2025 DOI
    IPSJ Journal 66(12)
  • 2025
    KanaShark: Exploration of Japanese Gesture Input Method based on SHARK2 (in Japanese).
    Shingo Toyoda, Kan Kusakabe, Daisuke Sakamoto.
    The 33rd Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS’25), Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, pp.158-164, December 2025. link
    WISS 2025
  • 2025
    Proposal and Evaluation of a Redirection Method based on Unperceived Thresholds for Relieving Physical Constraints in Seated Positions (in Japanese).
    Hiromu Kobayashi, Yuto Suzuki, Kan Kusakabe, Daisuke Sakamoto.
    The 33rd Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS’25), Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, pp.126-133, December 2025 link
    WISS 2025
  • 2025
    BeMyARm: The Assistive Technology for Camera Aiming for the blind and Low-Vision People (in Japanese).
    Kan Kusakabe, Yuki Abe, Daisuke Sakamoto.
    The 33rd Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS’25), Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, Demonstration. December 2025. link
    WISS 2025 · Demo
  • 2025
    Understanding Usability of VR Pointing Methods with a Handheld-style HMD for Onsite Exhibitions
    Yuki Abe*, Kan Kusakabe*, Myungguen Choi*, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono. *Joint first authors.
    ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025), ACM, 2025. Honorable Mention Award (5%). DOI
    Honorable Mention · Top 5%
    ACM CHI 2025
  • 2025
    RingSense: Exploring User-defined Gestures for Phone Ring Holders
    Kan Kusakabe, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono.
    Transactions of the Information Processing Society of Japan, Vol. 66, No. 2 DOI
    IPSJ Journal 66(2)
  • 2023
    Game-2-X: A System Connecting Different Types of Gameplay (in Japanese).
    Kan Kusakabe*, Yuki Abe*, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono. *Joint first author.
    The 31st Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS’23), Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, Demonstration. December 2023. link
    WISS 2023 · Demo
  • 2022
    Design and Implementation of a Phone-Ring-Type Device for Back-of-Device Gesture Interaction (in Japanese).
    Kan Kusakabe, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono.
    The 30th Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS’22), Japan Society for Software Science and Technology, pp.8-14, December 2022. (Long-press, acceptance rate: 12.5%). link
    Acceptance rate 12.5%
    WISS 2022 · Long
  • 2022
    Exploratory Study of Hand Gesture Interaction for Stepless Adjustment Interfaces (in Japanese).
    Kan Kusakabe, Myungguen Choi, Daisuke Sakamoto, Tetsuo Ono.
    Information Processing Society of Japan, 2022-HCI-197(25), 1-8, March 2022. link
    IPSJ SIG-HCI 197