2019
Speculative project
Embodied Interaction course

Team
Love Lagerkvist, Karim Mortada Mohamed Mahmoud, Elizabeth Matkiewicz, Tirsa Rosalba Ramos-Pedersen, Miha Žgank

Project Description

This speculative design-based research project concentrates on the future way of networking between beings within the context of climate change. During the creative process the question was formed “How can Embodied Interaction facilitate connections between beings in such a way as to respond to extreme climate conditions?” to the “breathing/air” themed brief. With the aim of making people conscious of their impact on the existing network within nature, the design team wants to explore if it is still possible to provide humans with a connected human experience not through artificial environments but by actually designing for people to recognize that they are part of a bigger network not only between human and non-human but also between organic and non-organic.

My Role

  • Ideation with the rest of the team
  • Created the shape of masks
  • Created schematic visuals
  • Created storyboards

What I learned

  • The body within Interaction Design
  • Tried Arduino
  • Digital sketching
  • How to write academic papers
  • How to use academic papers for research and writing

The Process

Research Question

“How can Embodied Interaction facilitate connections between beings in such a way as to respond to extreme climate conditions?”

Scenario

A post-collapse, techno-neolithic society of humans living in/off a hermetic, “self-sustaining” building.

Statement

Exploring the use of embodied design fictions in speculative design contexts — relating to the climate crisis as a discursive practice.

Methods

Early exploration consisted of literature research, bodystorming, brainstorming, and digital sketching.
Later, digital and physical prototyping was used to create a working prototype.

Digital Sketching and Prototyping

As we wanted to have a fully functional prototype, the team opted for digital sketching and tried different Arduino sensors and EEG to find the most suitable tech to communicate the idea. After rounds of fails, trials, and following discussions sensors were narrowed down to work with: flex sensors, AirQuality sensors, Neopixel LED ring - all powered with Arduino platform.

These sensors were used to be incorporated into belts and the pedestal.

While the rest of the team was busy with making the code work, my task was to create 3 masks. I used pre-bought masks and hoses and connected the two with the papier-mache technique. Later, the masks were painted by other team members, as I became sensitive to spray paint smell. The belts and the pedestal were created by other team members.

Unfortunately, we did not manage to test this prototype on participants, so the scope of this prototype is purely speculative.

Final Prototype

The final prototype includes masks, belts, and a pedestal with a sealed floral being. It takes 3 participants to activate the prototype. Each participant puts on a belt, which measures breath from the stomach movement and provides individual light feedback. The participants also put on masks, which are connected to the pedestal. The reason for using a whole face-covering mask is to take away individuality and move away from a person to create a node of the breathing network. AirQuality sensors incorporated into the pedestal measure the level of CO2 the participants exhale through the mouth into the mask's hose. If it is produced "enough" CO2 for the floral being, there will be collective feedback in a form of light.

Contribution to Interaction Design

This project is challenging the perception of the human as a part of the connected network of beings through breath in the context of climate change. Despite human being a small part of nature itself, it has a very big influence and is an important node in the whole network.

The design team came up with a performative way to show and remind that human is an important node in the network, however, must step away from the aspect of individuality. The obvious contribution of this project will be designing in the future context through and with an embodiment, moreover showing that it is possible to tackle and address issues such as climate change, using wearables, performativity and scenario-based interaction itself.

The project relates to the embodied interaction also from the position that the human body has an influence and responsibility in the question of climate change and climate crisis. Despite the project not providing any concrete solution on how to avoid any possible negative scenarios, it is aimed to make people conscious about their actions and through the performative ritual, forces to imagine a very small part of what might be coming next.

Video and high-quality pictures of prototype: Love Lagerkvist

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