This area describes the relationship between technology, design and the body. On one hand technologies are becoming contactless, while on the other hand embedding technology into products means that they are more connected with the body and skin, or can even be a part of them. The main focus of the direction is on three of the five senses: eyesight, hearing and touch. With origins from medicine, engineering, military and defence, artists and fashion designers together with electronic engineers can now explore how to create new languages for the body, specifically designing wearables and smart textiles. As still in the beginning phases, the level of technology readiness is not very high.
Hyper-body: connecting sense
and materials
Area
ST
Wearables
DM
Level of Maturity
Technology Readiness Level
Marketability
(consumer demand/industry offer)
Approach
Tech Driven
Design Driven
FLASHBACK COLLECTION,
BETABRAND
Garments made from highly reflective material for users that do not want their picture taken.
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PRIVACY VISOR, NISSEY CORP.
A privacy visor claiming to scramble digital facial recognition software with a titanium glasses frame and mesh-like screen.
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DUO SKIN, MIT
A fabrication process enabling users to create customised functional devices that are attached directly to their skin using gold metal leaf, and demonstrating a sensing touch input, displaying output, and wireless communication.
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MOOD SWEATER, SENOREE
Developed by Sensoree, the Mood Sweater interprets emotion and displays excitement levels through an illuminated collar, communicating feelings to the outside world by using light and colour.
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CV DAZZLE
Exploration of how fashion can be used as camouflage from face-detection technology, inspired by a type of naval camouflage called Dazzle from World War I.
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