Design Perspective on Materials Experience: A CiteSpace-Based Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Interdisciplinary Research
Yuxin Zhang, Fan Zhang
TL;DR
This study uses a CiteSpace-based bibliometric and visual analysis of material experience literature from 2005–2024 to map its evolution, interdisciplinarity, and forward trajectories. It identifies a shift from material-centric, perceptual focus to multimodal, design-driven, and data-quantified approaches, with Material Driven Design (MDD) as a pivotal theoretical framework. The analysis reveals dominant national and institutional players, and a growing role for industry–academic collaborations, biodesign, and living materials, signaling a transformation toward experiential design that integrates perception, technology, and culture. The findings highlight the field’s expansion into virtual, biological, and smart materials, the centrality of design as a mediator, and the need for socio-cultural frameworks to guide responsible innovation.
Abstract
Based on a bibliometric analysis of literature from 2005 to 2024, this study reveals that material experience is undergoing a profound transformation characterized by evolving material definitions, methodological advances, and increasing interdisciplinary integration. Material types now extend beyond traditional substances to encompass virtual and biological media, underscoring a growing emphasis on perception and interaction. Methodologically, the field has transitioned from subjective descriptions to data-driven, quantifiable models focused on objective sensory analysis and multisensory integration to enhance immersion. Key drivers, including human-machine perception convergence, material-driven interface interactions, and the embedding of intelligent interactive functions, propel the discipline toward an experience-centered paradigm reflecting a deep convergence of design, science, and technology. At the national/regional level, the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands lead in contributions, while France, the United Kingdom, and Romania demonstrate significant interdisciplinary progress. At the institutional level, Delft University of Technology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique show significant advantages. In particular, the Material-Driven Design theory has established a foundational impact on the discipline, while, regarding general research trends, scholars from the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany maintain the highest academic visibility. Overall, material experience research is at a critical juncture, its future development will depend on progress in material innovation, technological integration, and perceptual quantification, as well as the establishment of socio-cultural values, all of which must be effectively unified through design to address complex evolving needs.