Zsófia Lévai is a feminist multidisciplinary artist – researcher working at the intersection of Human – Computer Interaction (HCI) and Fiber Art. Over the years, and as part of her ongoing doctoral research, she has developed two parallel practices, each emphasizing different aspects of this intersection.

As an HCI researcher, she defines herself as a Soft Human – Computer Interface Designer, focusing on the human aspect of designing soft, comfortable wearable systems that support advanced monitoring technologies. She believes that textiles and other malleable materials in this context are not merely carriers of electronics, but serve as foundational structures – much like the concept of a “foundation” in architecture. Her recent work, the O2RA headband, was featured as an interactive demo at the 2025 UbiComp – International Symposium on Wearable Computing, held in Finland. In recent years, she has also contributed to several wearable tech projects as a project manager and senior soft interface designer, developing prototypes such as smart gloves, sleep monitoring systems, ECG bands, and smart pillows.

As a multidisciplinary fiber artist working at the intersection of soft sculpture, digital media, and electronics, she focuses on the meaning of radical softness in interactive systems. She creates Soft Interface Sculptures, through which she explores cyberfeminist ideas, using softness – both materially and conceptually – as a method of inserting radical softness into rigid, systematized technological structures. Using new media tools and textile techniques, she challenges the built – in biases in technology and examines the ethics of the post – digital era through the lens of matricentric feminism. Her doctoral research was featured at the 2024 ISEA – International Symposium on Electronic Arts, held in Australia.

Extending this exploration of materiality and collaboration, her recent project, titled Kaláka, focuses on growing interfaces using soft materials, drawing on traditional textile craftwork and community – based mechanisms. The resulting artefacts were also featured in an interactive demo at the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, held in Japan.

AWARDS
2022 – 2025 University Research Fellowship Programme – Cooperative Doctoral Programme
2019 – Moholyi Nagy Design Scholarship
2018 – 2nd prize at Telekom Fashion Fusion Challange
2018 – Highlights of Hungary nominee/
2017 – Graduation Project – selected by International Design Review
2017 – Best Hungarian Designer /Gombold Újra!- Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Central Europe/

EXHIBITIONS
2024 – “Craft in the Digital Age” – Bucharest, Romania – INTERKNITTING collection
2022 – “Common Space | 2nd National Salon of Applied Arts and Design” – Kunsthalle Budapest, Hungary – INTERKNITTING collection
2021 – „Nem nagy trúváj” – Budapest, Hungary – ROMP collection
2020 – “TECHTEXTIL” – Szentendre, Hungary – ROMP collection
2020 – “Future starts now” – Brussels, Belgium – INTERKNITTING collection
2020 – “Moholyi Nagy Design Exhibition” – Budapest, Hungary – ROMP collection
2019 – New York Fashion Tech Week – POWER of PROXIMITY presentation
2019 – Europe Fashion Passport – Sarajevo – POWER of PROXIMITY collection
2019 – Tallin Design Week exhibition – INTERKNITTING collection
2019 – Kolorado Festiaval & Trafo House – Budapest – BONDING performance with POWER of PROXIMITY collection
2019 – House of Contemporary Arts Budapest – NEXT Fest – BONDING performance with POWER of PROXIMITY collection
2019 – Berlin Fashion Week / Fashion Tech Day – POWER of PROXIMITY collection
2018 – International Symposium on Wearble Computers Singapore – POWER of PROXIMITY collection
2018 – NORMCORE exhibition – Design for disability Budapest
2018 – Brain Bar Budapest – INTERKNITTING collection
2018 – Budapest Central European Fashion Week – INTERKNITTING collection
2018 – Berlin Fashion Week / FashionTech exhibition – INTERKNITTING collection
2017 – Nearness of Sensors – INTERKNITTING collection – ELTE IoT department
2017 – MOME diploma exhibition – INTERKNITTING collection
2016 – TEXTURA 2016, Hungarian National Gallery

CONFERENCES
2025 – CHI – Human Factors in Computing Systems Yokohama, Japan
2024 – The Future of Living Brussels, Belgium 2024
2024 – Future Materials Conference Budapest, Hungary
2024 – ISEA – International Symposium on Electronic Art Brisbane, Australia 2024
2018 – UbiComp/ISWC – International Symposium on Wearable Computing Singapore

PUBLICATIONS
Zsofia Levai. 2025. Soft Interface Sculpture: Participatory Social Crafting Through Project Kaláka. In Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’25), April 25, 2025. Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 1–5.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3706599.3721174