Jianzhe   Gu

Ph.D. Researcher, Engineer, and Designer
Human-Computer Interaction Institute, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University

Education

Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction Sep 2018 - Dec 2024
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science Pittsburgh, PA
Advisors: Lining Yao, Ding Zhao
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Sep 2014 - May 2018
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering Shanghai, China
Advisors: Xinbing Wang

Publications

Conference Papers, Journal Articles, Pre‑prints

C16
MetaTruss: Truss Topology and Parameter Generation with Variational Auto-encoders
Jianzhe Gu, Wenhao Ding, Josiah Hester, Ding Zhao, Vickie Webster-Wood, Lining Yao
(On Going) 2025
C15
Muscle Synergy Evolution in Actuator Networks
Jianzhe Gu, Ziwen Ye, Tucker Rae-Grant, Shuhong Wang, Josiah Hester, Sam Kriegman, Vickie Webster-Wood, Lining Yao
Nature Communications (Under Revision) 2024
C14
Wearable Material Properties: Passive Wearable Microstructures as Adaptable Interfaces for the Physical Environment
Yuyu Lin, Hatice G. Guner, Jianzhe Gu, Sonia Prashant, Alexandra Ion
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2025
C13
breatHaptics: Rendering Breath Signals With Fine Granularity Using Shape-changing Soft Interface
Sunniva Liu, Jianzhe Gu, Dinesh K. Patel, Lining Yao
Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI) 2023
C12
PneuMesh: Pneumatic-driven Truss-based Shape Changing System
Jianzhe Gu, Yuyu Lin, Qiang Cui, Xiaoqian Li, Jiaji Li, Lingyun Sun, Fangtian Ying, Guanyun Wang, Lining Yao
CHI 2022
C11
ElectriPop: Low-Cost Shape-Changing Displays with Electrostatically Inflated Mylar Sheets
Cathy Fang, Jianzhe Gu, Lining Yao, Chris Harrison
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2022
C10
FlexTruss: A Computational Threading Method for Multi-material, Multi-form and Multi-use Prototyping
Lingyun Sun, Jiaji Li, Yu Chen, Yue Yang, Zhi Yu, Danli Luo, Jianzhe Gu, Lining Yao, Ye Tao, Guanyun Wang
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2021
C9
Geodesy2.5: Inverse Design Tool for Asymmetrical Self-Rising Surfaces with Color Texture
Jianzhe Gu, Vidya Narayanan, Guanyun Wang, Danli Luo, Harshika Jain, Kexin Lu, Fang Qin, Sijia Wang, James McCann, Lining Yao
Symposium on Computational Fabrication (SCF) 2020
C8
E-seed: Shape-Changing Interfaces that Self Drill
Danli Luo, Jianzhe Gu, Fang Qin, Guanyun Wang, Lining Yao
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2020
C7
SimuLearn: Fast and Accurate Simulator to Support Morphing Materials Design and Workflows
Humphrey Yang, Kuanren Qian, Haolin Liu, Yuxuan Yu, Jianzhe Gu, Matthew McGehee, Yongjie Jessica Zhang, Lining Yao
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2020
C6
Material characterization and precise finite element analysis of fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites for 4D printing
Yuxuan Yu, Haolin Liu, Kuanren Qian, Humphrey Yang, Matthew McGehee, Jianzhe Gu, Danli Luo, Lining Yao, Yongjie Jessica Zhang
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) 2020
C5
Geodesy: Self-rising 2.5D Tiles by Printing along 2D Geodesic Closed Path
Jianzhe Gu, David E. Breen, Jenny Hu, Lifeng Zhu, Ye Tao, Tyson Van de Zande, Guanyun Wang, Yongjie Jessica Zhang, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2019
C4
Self-healing UI: Mechanically and Electrically Self-healing Materials for Sensing and Actuation Interfaces
Koya Narumi, Fang Qin, Siyuan Liu, Huai-Yu Cheng, Jianzhe Gu, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Mohammad Islam, Lining Yao
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2019
C3
4DMesh: 4D Printing Morphing Non-Developable Mesh Surfaces
Guanyun Wang, Humphrey Yang, Zeyu Yan, Nurcan Gecer Ulu, Ye Tao, Jianzhe Gu, Levent Burak Kara, Lining Yao
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2018
C2
Thermorph: Democratizing 4D printing of self-folding Materials and Interfaces
Kwon An, Ye Tao, Jianzhe Gu, Tingyu Cheng, Anthony 'Xiang' Chen, Xiaoxiao Zhang, Wei Zhao, Youngwook Do, Shigeo Takahashi, Hsiang-Yun Wu, Teng Zhang, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2018
C1
Printed Paper Actuator: A Low-cost Reversible Actuation and Sensing Method for Shape Changing Interfaces
Guanyun Wang, Tingyu Cheng, Youngwook Do, Humphrey Yang, Ye Tao, Jianzhe Gu, Byoungkwon An, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2018

Workshop Papers, Posters, Demos

W8
Guttation Sensor: Wearable Microfluidic Chip for Plant Condition Monitoring and Diagnosis
Qiuyu Lu, Lydia Yang, Aditi Maheshwari, Hengrong Ni, Tianyu Yu, Jianzhe Gu, Advait Wadhwani, Haiqing Xu, Andreea Danielescu, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA)
W7
Computational Co-Design for Variable Geometry Truss
Jianzhe Gu, Lining Yao
International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML Workshop)
W6
FabricFit: Transforming Form-Fitting Fabrics
Lingyun Sun, Ziqian Shao, Danli Luo, Jianzhe Gu, Ye Tao, Lining Yao, Guanyun Wang
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST Adjunct)
W5
WireTruss: A Fast-Modifiable Prototyping Method Through 3D Printing
Lingyun Sun, Jiaji Li, Yu Chen, Yue Yang, Jianzhe Gu, Ye Tao, Lining Yao, Guanyun Wang
Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST Adjunct)
W4
Self-healing UI: Mechanically and Electrically Self-healing Materials for Sensing and Actuation Interfaces
Koya Narumi, Fang Qin, Siyuan Liu, Huai-Yu Cheng, Jianzhe Gu, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Mohammad Islam, Lining Yao
Workshop on Interactive Systems and Software (WISS) Best Paper
W3
Fashion Design with FlexTruss Approach
Lingyun Sun, Jiaqi Li, Danli Luo, Ziqi Fang, Yitao Fan, Zhi Yu, Yu Chen, Deying Pan, Yue Yang, Yijun Zhao, Jianzhe Gu, Lining Yao, Ye Tao, Guanyun Wang
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA)
W2
Demonstrating Printed Paper Actuator: A Low-cost Reversible Actuation and Sensing Method for Shape Changing Interfaces
Guanyun Wang, Youngwook Do, Tingyu Cheng, Humphrey Yang, Ye Tao, Jianzhe Gu, Byoungkwon An, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA)
W1
Demonstrating Thermorph: Democratizing 4D Printing of Self-Folding Materials and Interfaces
Ye Tao, Jianzhe Gu, Byoungkwon An, Tingyu Cheng, Anthony Chen, Xiaoxiao Zhang, Wei Zhao, Youngwook Do, Teng Zhang, Lining Yao
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA)

Patent

P1
Methods and devices for biomimetic hygromorphic composite
Lining Yao, Danli Luo, Jianzhe Gu, Fang Qin, Guanyun Wang
Patent US

Talks & Lectures

T8
Guest Lecture for Applied Fabrication Techniques for HCI (05-835) 2023
Pittsburgh, USA
T7
Computational Co-Design for Variable Geometry Truss 2022
ICML 2022 Baltimore, USA
T6
PneuMesh: Pneumatic-driven Truss-based Shape Changing System 2022
CHI 2022 New Orleans, USA
T5
Guest Lecture for Inclusive Tangible and Material Interfaces (05-899) 2022
Pittsburgh, USA
T4
From Origami to Pasta: Material-driven Computational Self-Folding 2022
INCOSE 2022 Detroit, USA , Virtual
T3
Inverse Design Tool for Asymmetrical Self-Rising Surfaces with Color Texture 2020
ACM SCF 2020 Boston, USA , Virtual
T2
Geodesy: Self-rising 2.5D Tiles by Printing along 2D Geodesic Closed Path 2019
ACM CHI 2019 Glasgow, UK
T1
Thermorph: Democratizing 4D Printing of Self-folding Materials and Interfaces 2018
ACM CHI 2019 Montreal, Canada

Service

Editor

Frontiers in Robotics and AI: "Computational Multimodal Sensing and Perception for Robotic Systems" 2024-2025

Reviewer

ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2019-2024
ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2019-2024
ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication (SCF) 2021-2022

Teaching Assistant

TA for Programming Usable Interface (05-630) Fall 2021
Instructor: Alexandra Ion
TA for User-Centered Research & Evaluation (05-610) Spring 2022
Instructor: Aniket Kittur, Raelin Musuraca

Skills

Languages
English - Full Professional Proficiency, Chinese (Mandarin) - Native or bilingual proficiency, Japanese - Limited Working Proficiency
Programming
Python, C/C++, Javascript/Html/CSS, Objective-C, Matlab, LaTeX, SQL, Java, etc.
Frameworks
Pytorch, Tensorflow, OpenGL, React.js, Node.js, Eigen, LibIGL, WebGL, Three.js, etc.
Tools
Rhino/Grasshopper, Blender, Fusion360, Maya, Hudini, Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, Figma, etc.
Hardware
3D Printing, Laser Cutting, CNC, Robotics, PCB Design, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.
Courses
Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Optimal Control, Convex Optimization, Computer Graphics, Discrete Differential Geometry, Physical Simulation, Programmable User Interface, User-Centered Research and Evaluation, Numerical Methods, Solid Mechanics