That Cape is Getting Emotional
Statement
As an introvert freshman at NYUSH, I sometimes struggle to mingle with others. Afraid of talking with strangers in English, I always miss opportunities to socialize with others. Therefore, it comes to us that why not design a garment that can visualize what I am feeling right now? If people like me start to wear it, they will know that they are not alone in feeling the same way. Therefore, the potential socialization among people who share emotions can commence, thus breaking the isolation status among individuals.
Plan
To break down each technical component, in the main body of this device we will use either an Ear clip heart rate sensor or a vibration sensor to monitor the user’s heart and respiratory frequency. This is to roughly categorize the mood of the user into active/calm, and from here, we can make more detailed and different visualization of their emotions.
After realizing this main body, we are also considering adding more visualization by changing the material of the cape into a deformable membrane, so that it invites people who are not wearing the cape to interact with the wearer. In order to pick up deformation, we will use either flex/stretch sensors or using an invisible infrared (IR) LED to measure the brightness reflected off the fabric with an IR photoresistor while illuminating the back side of the fabric. Also, the membrane can serve as a medium to unlock more interaction when the cape is connected to the computer. For example, we can turn the membrane into a canvas for Processing, and people can unleash their creativity on the existing color and patterns.
Of course, we will prepare enough LEDs and sensors. We will also test a lot of fabrics to see what goes well with these technical components. Since the detection of heart rate and the making of membranes are all brand new to us, we anticipate a lot of technical challenges lying ahead.
Context and Significance
The Guest Speak Event conducted by IMA and hosted by Jian Yu portrayed an artistic world with aesthetic wearables to me. Afterward, I determined to do a project involved in wearables. Then, the following video inspires us to establish our project on wearable fabrics. We want to merge the interaction with everyday components to make them fabulous and refreshing.
My previous research stressed the importance of attraction. I think the final result of our proposal will undoubtedly grasp the audience’s attention and invite them to interact. The concept of breaking the isolation and boosting socialization in this project can be inspirational for those who suffer from the pandemic. Moreover, our project complicates my research. Not only do people have the opportunity to interact with the project itself, but also the project can be an agent to encourage interpersonal interactions as well.