Vasiliki Tsaknaki

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About

Vasiliki Tsaknaki is a leading researcher in human-computer interaction, whose work lies at the intersection of soma design, embodied interaction, and human-robot relations. Her research fundamentally reimagines how we experience technology through the body, moving beyond purely functional or cognitive frameworks. Tsaknaki’s major contribution is her pioneering exploration of "soma trajectories"—a concept that maps how felt, bodily experiences unfold over time during interaction. Her most-cited paper, "Tangles: Unpacking Extended Collision Experiences with Soma Trajectories" (2025, 3 citations), exemplifies this approach by reappraising collisions with robots not as errors to be avoided, but as meaningful, tactile facets of human-robot engagement. Drawing on a soma design workshop, she shows how collisions with telepresence robots and mobility aids can be rich, relational experiences. This work challenges dominant paradigms in robotics and interaction design, opening new avenues for designing technologies that resonate with our lived, sensory selves. Tsaknaki’s research is highly influential in shaping how we think about the body as a site of knowledge and design, making her a vital voice for students and researchers interested in the future of embodied, human-centered technology.