Matthew Pike

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Matthew Pike is a leading voice in embodied interaction, exploring how digital technologies reshape our bodily experiences and sense of control. His research sits at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), somaesthetics, and critical design, with a particular focus on how we surrender, negotiate, and reclaim agency through technology. His most cited work, "Contesting control: journeys through surrender, self-awareness and looseness of control in embodied interaction" (2020, 32 citations), challenges conventional HCI paradigms by examining three provocative case studies—a breath-controlled amusement ride and a brain-controlled film—to reveal how users navigate states of surrender and self-awareness. This paper has become a touchstone for researchers rethinking the body's role in interactive systems. Pike's contributions extend beyond theory; he is known for crafting deeply personal, first-person research methods that foreground subjective experience, influencing how designers approach technologies for mental health, performance, and play. His work has been recognized with best paper nominations and continues to shape conversations on looseness of control in digital interactions, making him a vital thinker for students and researchers interested in the future of embodied, human-centered computing.