Kao wins ISWC Test of Time award for DuoSkin

Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao, associate professor in the Department of Human Centered Design, received the ISWC Test of Time Award 10-Year Impact Award at the 2026 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers for her 2016 paper, “DuoSkin: rapidly prototyping on-skin user interfaces using skin-friendly materials.”

DuoSkin is a rapid fabrication process for creating customizable on-skin computers that are stylish and accessible. It uses gold leaf — a material that’s skin-friendly, easy to work with, and conductive — to create temporary tattoos. The burnished color resembles jewelry, helping the technology blend seamlessly with personal style. The fabrication approach afforded the creation of three unique functions:

Touch sensor: Turns skin into a track pad or controller.
Output display: Creates tattoos that glow with changes in body temperature or emotional states.
Communication device: Transmits data that can be scanned and read, similar to a QR code.

Kao was a Ph.D. student at the MIT Media Lab when she led the team that developed DuoSkin. She had a vision that was unique at the time: to create on-skin wearable technologies that are both aesthetically appealing and accessible to individuals, an approach she now calls Hybrid Skins.

“Publishing this paper was challenging,” Kao said. “Many doubted the value of combining design, aesthetics and technology in on-skin interfaces. Others questioned why we prioritized making fabrication processes affordable and accessible — why was it important for more people to create these devices themselves?”

But she was onto something. DuoSkin was a sensation. Outlets like FORBES, CNN, TIME Magazine, TechCrunch, and the Washington Post covered it. It received a 2017 SXSW Interactive Innovation Award, received honors from Ars Electronica and Fast Company, and was showcased on the New York Fashion Week runway.

Today, research on soft, conformable on-skin interfaces has flourished, with a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners developing user-friendly fabrication approaches, and exploring applications in health, well-being, performance, STEM learning, and beyond.

Kao joined Cornell Human Ecology in 2019 and established the Hybrid Body Lab, an interdisciplinary research group dedicated to integrating design, culture and technology into conformable interfaces. As lab director, she continues to innovate, developing new culturally inspired fabrication approaches, such as those grounded in historical textile practices blended with cutting edge flexible materials, and new experimental approaches for collaborating with artists and makers, to explore how wearables can support individual agency.

“It is rewarding to see a new generation of researchers — including my lab’s Ph.D. graduates and postdocs — now launching their own labs worldwide and advancing this field,” said Kao.

DuoSkin co-authors include Chris Schmandt, Asta Roseway, Christian Holz and Andres Calvo.

Decorative image: arms with colorful duoskin tattoos

DuoSkin is a rapid fabrication process for creating customizable on-skin computers that are stylish and accessible. Provided.

DuoSkin as touch sensor turns skin into a track pad.

DuoSkin as digital skin jewelery. Provided.

DuoSkin as communication device. Provided.