Conference Timeline — 20 Editions

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Baton Rouge
TEI2007
1st edition
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Feb 15–17, 2007
General ChairsBrygg Ullmer, Albrecht Schmidt Program ChairsRobert J. K. Jacob, Eva Hornecker, Caroline Hummels VenueSheraton Convention Center Hotel
Papers
Accepted
50
Accept. Rate
53.8%
Sessions
  • Connectedness
  • Integrating the virtual and the physical
  • The expressive character of interaction
  • Learning through physical interaction
  • Context dependency and physical adaptability
  • Body movements
Lasting Impact Award
Martin Kaltenbrunner, Ross Bencina
Bonn
TEI2008
2nd edition
Bonn, Germany
Feb 18–20, 2008
General ChairsAlbrecht Schmidt, Hans Gellersen Program ChairsElise van den Hoven, Ali Mazalek
Papers
Accepted
46
Accept. Rate
54%
Sessions
  • Mobile and tangible interaction
  • Making tangible interaction work
  • Supporting real-life applications
  • Designing the interaction
  • Learning through physical interaction
  • Prototypical evaluations
  • New directions
Cambridge
TEI2009
3rd edition
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Feb 16–18, 2009
General ChairsNicolas Villar, Shahram Izadi Program ChairsMike Fraser, Steve Benford
Papers
Accepted
70
Accept. Rate
43.8%
Sessions
  • Embedded artefacts, garments and environments
  • New perspectives and theories on tangibility
  • Tangible and embedded interaction — in the lab and in the wild
  • Tabletop tangibles and augmented surfaces
  • Enabling technologies and design techniques
Lasting Impact Award
Ayah Bdeir
Cambridge MA
TEI2010
4th edition
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Jan 25–27, 2010
ThemeDE-FORM, IN-FORM, RE-FORM
Conference ChairsMarcelo Coelho, Jamie Zigelbaum General ChairsHiroshi Ishii, Robert J. K. Jacob, Pattie Maes Program ChairsThomas Pederson, Orit Shaer, Ron Wakkary VenueMIT Media Lab
Papers
Accepted
54
Accept. Rate
33.8%
Other Tracks
Art & P 10GSC 13Studios 21
Sessions
  • Bridging the physical and digital worlds
  • Toolkits and enabling technologies
  • Physical interaction, perspectives, and design techniques
  • Materials, garments, and light
  • Learning through physical interaction
Funchal
TEI2011
5th edition
Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Feb 22–26, 2011
Themethings that think
General ChairsMark D. Gross, Nuno Jardim Nunes Program ChairsEllen Yi-Luen Do, Stephen Brewster, Ian Oakley
Papers
Accepted
65
Accept. Rate
32%
Other Tracks
Art & P 19GSC 12Studios 13
Sessions
  • Audio and video
  • Tabletop
  • Craft and fabrication
  • Learning
  • Games and narrative
  • Design
  • Applications
  • Sensing and interaction
Lasting Impact Award
Hannah Perner-Wilson, Leah Buechley, Mika Satomi
Kingston
TEI2012
6th edition
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Feb 19–22, 2012
ThemeFold, Unfold
General ChairsRoel Vertegaal Program ChairsYlva Fernaeus, Audrey Girouard, Sergi Jordà VenueQueen's University
Papers
Accepted
42
Accept. Rate
31%
Other Tracks
Art & P 13GSC 11Studios 14
Sessions
  • Fold unfold
  • Rock that body
  • Touchy feely
  • Intangibles
  • Come out and play
  • Can't touch this
  • School's out
  • One step beyond
Lasting Impact Award
Beginner's Mind Collective and David Shaw
Barcelona
TEI2013
7th edition
Barcelona, Spain
Feb 10–13, 2013
General ChairsSergi Jordà, Narcis Parés Program ChairsMartin Kaltenbrunner, Dave Kirk, Paul Marshall
Papers
Accepted
48
Accept. Rate
35%
Other Tracks
WIP 37Art & P 9GSC 17Studios 8SDC 7
Sessions
  • Physical objective
  • Learning and education
  • Material world
  • Cultural perspectives
  • Compare and contrast
  • Getting mobile
  • Gesture & toolkits
  • Specific user groups
Lasting Impact Award
Tanja Döring, Axel Sylvester, Albrecht Schmidt
Munich
TEI2014
8th edition
Munich, Germany
Feb 16–19, 2014
General ChairsAndreas Butz, Saul Greenberg Program ChairsSaskia Bakker, Lian Loke, Alexander De Luca
Papers
Accepted
46
Accept. Rate
26.7%
Other Tracks
WIP 37Art & P 13GSC 9Studios 10SDC 11
Sessions
  • In focus or not?
  • Making and materializing
  • Healthy moments
  • Domestic bliss
  • Let's get physical
  • Theory twist
  • Public encounters
  • Play and learn
Lasting Impact Award
Jifei Ou, Lining Yao, Daniel Tauber, Jürgen Steimle, Ryuma Niiyama, Hiroshi Ishii
Stanford
TEI2015
9th edition
Stanford, California, USA
Jan 15–19, 2015
General ChairsWendy Ju, Bill Verplank Program ChairsAlissa Antle, Ali Mazalek, Florian Mueller
Papers
Accepted
63
Accept. Rate
28%
Other Tracks
WIP 40Art & P 13GSC 9Studios 14
Sessions
  • Why Use Theory?
  • Focus on Interaction
  • Techie: How it Works
  • Making Connections
  • Toolkits: How to Make It
  • Cool New Stuff
  • Supporting Designers
  • The Latest Applications
Lasting Impact Award
Caroline Hummels, Jelle van Dijk
Eindhoven
TEI2016
10th edition
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Feb 14–17, 2016
ThemeOur Body Is Our Manual
General ChairsSaskia Bakker, Caroline Hummels, Brygg Ullmer Program ChairsLuc Geurts, Bart Hengeveld, Daniel Saakes VenueEindhoven University of Technology
Papers
Accepted
45
Accept. Rate
25%
Other Tracks
WIP 40Art & P 9GSC 8Studios 11SDC 7
Sessions
  • Stuff That Works
  • Share, Show and Tell
  • What Your Body Can Do For You
  • When Learning Is Tough
  • Keep In Shape
  • With All Your Forces
  • Not For Kids Only
Lasting Impact Award
Bruno Araujo, Ricardo Jota, Varun Perumal, Jia Xian Yao, Karan Singh, Daniel Wigdor
Yokohama
TEI2017
11th edition
Yokohama, Japan
Mar 20–23, 2017
ThemeRecall your past to grasp the future
General ChairsMasa Inakage, Hiroshi Ishii, Ellen Yi-Luen Do Program ChairsJürgen Steimle, Orit Shaer, Kai Kunze VenueFujiwara Hall, Hiyoshi Campus
Papers
Accepted
41
Accept. Rate
27%
Other Tracks
WIP 39Art & P 6GSC 11Studios 4SDC 7
Sessions
  • Tangible Applications
  • Expanding Foundations
  • Making Science Tangible
  • Fabrication and New Materials
  • Novel Experiences
  • Body and Aesthetics
Stockholm
TEI2018
12th edition
Stockholm, Sweden
Mar 18–21, 2018
ThemePost-Digital Design
General ChairsYlva Fernaeus, Donald McMillan, Martin Jonsson Program ChairsAudrey Girouard, Jakob Tholander VenueKTH Royal Institute of Technology
Papers
Accepted
37
Accept. Rate
28%
Other Tracks
WIP 32Art & P 25GSC 7Studios 6
Sessions
  • Shapechanging & Moving Interfaces
  • Shapechanging Textiles & Interactive Materials
  • Toys, Talk, & Play
  • Sensing in VR & AR
  • Evaluating Tangible Interactions
  • Theory, Communities & Frameworks
Tempe
TEI2019
13th edition
Tempe, Arizona, USA
Mar 17–20, 2019
ThemeHybrid Materials
General ChairsStacey Kuznetsov, Daniel Saakes, Ron Wakkary Program ChairsLuc Geurts, Lauren Hayes, Manfred Lau
Papers
Accepted
36
Accept. Rate
33%
Other Tracks
WIP 29Art & P 18GSC 12Studios 5SDC 8
Sessions
  • Users with Abilities
  • Learning and Entertainment
  • Matters Shape, Shape Matters
  • Creating Together
  • Move & Feel
  • How You Make It
Sydney
TEI2020
14th edition
Sydney, Australia
Feb 9–12, 2020
ThemeFuture Bodies, Future Technologies
General ChairsElise van den Hoven, Lian Loke Program ChairsOrit Shaer, Jelle van Dijk, Andrew Kun VenueUniversity of Technology Sydney
Papers
Accepted
37
Accept. Rate
28%
Pictorials
Accepted
12
Accept. Rate
32%
Other Tracks
WIP 22Art & P 15GSC 5Studios 5SDC 5
Sessions
  • Make it Personal
  • Creating and Changing Shapes
  • Move Your Body and Play
  • Input/Output
  • Reflection and Rituals
  • Urban Experiences, Eating, and Communication
  • Awareness and Wearables
Salzburg
TEI2021
15th edition
Online (Salzburg, Austria)
Feb 14–19, 2021
ThemeThe Art of Interaction
General ChairsMartin Kaltenbrunner, Martin Murer Program ChairsKatrin Wolf, Ian Oakley
Papers
Accepted
40
Accept. Rate
29%
Pictorials
Accepted
15
Accept. Rate
27%
Other Tracks
WIP 23Art & P 6GSC 6Studios 6SDC 7
Sessions
  • Design
  • Shape
  • Prototyping
  • Narratives
  • Any Body
  • Spaces
  • Traces
  • Soft
  • On Stage
  • Health
  • Learning
  • Circuits
Daejeon
TEI2022
16th edition
Online (Daejeon, S. Korea)
Feb 13–16, 2022
ThemeMaking. Things. Think.
General ChairsDaniel Saakes, Juhyun Eune Program ChairsAugusto Esteves, Young-Woo Park, Audrey Girouard
Papers
Accepted
27
Accept. Rate
24%
Pictorials
Accepted
12
Accept. Rate
26%
Other Tracks
WIP 22Art & P 4GSC 5Studios 7SDC 6
Sessions
  • Fabrication
  • Case Studies
  • Prototyping
  • Materials and Design
  • Well-being
  • I/O Systems
  • Novel Interaction Techniques
  • Analysis & Data
  • Methods & Tools
Warsaw
TEI2023
17th edition
Warsaw, Poland
Feb 26–Mar 1, 2023
General ChairsAndrzej Nowak, Eva Hornecker, Paweł W. Woźniak Program ChairsDaniela Petrelli, Maki Sugimoto, Pedro Sanches VenueUniversity of Warsaw Library and Copernicus Science Centre
Papers
Accepted
20
Accept. Rate
22.5%
Pictorials
Accepted
16
Accept. Rate
34%
Other Tracks
WIP 19Art & P 11Studios 6SDC 2
Sessions
  • The body
  • Beyond Human
  • Materialisation
  • Ideation
  • Textiles, fashion and other materials
  • On Change
  • Touch
  • Craft and Design
Cork
TEI2024
18th edition
Cork, Ireland
Feb 11–14, 2024
ThemeOn the Edge
General ChairsLuigina Ciolfi, Trevor Hogan Program ChairsTanja Döring, Tom Jenkins, Jelle van Dijk VenueClayton Hotel Cork City
Papers
Accepted
37
Accept. Rate
25.7%
Pictorials
Accepted
16
Accept. Rate
27.1%
Other Tracks
WIP 23Art & P 15GSC 6Studios 7SDC 6
Sessions
  • Into Practice
  • Tangible Technologies
  • Too Hot to Handle?
  • More than Human and More
  • Where Can We Order This?
  • Seamful Interactions
  • The Shape of You
  • Dance The Night Away
  • From Here to Data and Back Again
Bordeaux
TEI2025
19th edition
Bordeaux, France
Mar 4–7, 2025
Themesustainable TEI
General ChairsCéline Coutrix, Yvonne Jansen Program ChairsLeah Buechley, Hyunjoo Oh, Paul Strohmeier VenueUniversity of Bordeaux, CAPC, Palais Rohan
Papers
Accepted
35
Accept. Rate
24.8%
Pictorials
Accepted
19
Accept. Rate
26%
Other Tracks
WIP 42Art & P 18GSC 8Studios 12SDC 5
Sessions
  • Tangible Textiles
  • Haptics
  • Spirituality, Nature, and Place
  • Physicalization
  • Elemental & Biomaterial
  • Paper-based Interaction
  • Sensors and Actuators
  • The More, the Merrier
Chicago
TEI2026
20th edition
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Mar 8–11, 2026
ThemeTide + Tied
General ChairsKen Nakagaki, Brygg Ullmer, Michael Horn Program ChairsSara Nabil, HyunJoo Oh, Elisa Rubegni VenueUniversity of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry
Papers
Accepted
42
Accept. Rate
23.2%
Pictorials
Accepted
15
Accept. Rate
20.5%
Other Tracks
WIP 40Art & P 17GSC 8Studios 9SDC 22
Sessions
  • Crafting & Community
  • Materials & Fabrication
  • Education & Embodied Play
  • Sustainable & Ecological Practices
  • Tangible, Embodied, and Situated Approaches
  • Connection & Wellbeing
  • Sensing & Shape-Changing
  • Assistive Tech & Body
  • Rethinking Data, Devices & Interaction
20 Years of ACM TEI at a Glance
Submissions & Accepted Papers / main papers track
Submissions vs. Accepted Papers — All 20 Editions
All-Track Accepted Works / papers, pictorials, WIP, art & performance
Accepted Works per Year — Stacked by Track
Acceptance Rates / historical trends
Papers Track — Acceptance Rate % over 20 Editions
Multi-Track Acceptance Rates — 2020 Onwards
Conference Locations / 20 editions worldwide
In-person
Online / Hybrid (host city shown)
Year-by-Year Breakdown / all 20 editions

TIED to the TIDE

20 Years of TEI · Chicago 2026

Celebrating the 20th Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction conference, we invite you to reflect on the past 20 years of TEI to further investigate and discuss the future of TEI for the next +1, +20, and +200 years.

About This Archive

This interactive timeline documents two decades of groundbreaking research in tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction. From the first conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2007 to the 20th anniversary celebration in Chicago in 2026, TEI has grown from 93 paper submissions to over 250 combined submissions across multiple tracks.

The archive includes over 800 accepted papers, hundreds of work-in-progress contributions, art and performance pieces, and pictorials that have shaped the field. These works represent contributions from researchers, artists, and designers across six continents.

The Evolution of TEI

Over 20 years, what began as a papers-only conference has expanded into a rich, multi-track event:

  • 2010 — "Embodied" added to the conference title
  • 2011 — First Arts & Performance track introduced
  • 2013 — Work-in-Progress track established
  • 2020 — Pictorials track launched — a visual medium for design research
  • 2024 — First Sustainability Chairs appointed
  • Throughout — Graduate Student Consortium, Studios, and Student Design Challenges nurturing the next generation

Credits

This archive was organized and designed by Ken Nakagaki, with support from Brygg Ullmer, Michael Horn, and contributions from researchers worldwide who have shaped TEI over the past 20 years.

This interactive timeline is a snapshot of how the TEI community—spanning academia, industry, and art—has contributed to our understanding of tangible interaction.

Thank you to all authors, reviewers, organizers, and participants who have made TEI a vibrant and welcoming community for two decades.

About this archive: This web archive is not an official ACM or SIGCHI publication or information. Data is derived from ACM/SIGCHI proceedings but this site was independently created and hosted by Ken Nakagaki and the Actuated Experience Lab at the University of Chicago. We do not have ongoing plans to maintain or update this webpage. Anyone is welcome to access the source, make modifications, or build upon it — provided that this original version is linked and credited.

Acknowledgement: Anup Sathya supported making this archive publicly available.