Abstract

Keywords: wearable technologies, breath interaction, kinetic garment, feminist design, human hair, critical cultural design, somaesthetics.

This paper presents the design process and technical development of Wo.Defy, an interactive kinetic garment that explores a suffragette cultural critique of the ‘Self-Combing Sisters’, a group of women in early twentieth century Chinese society who challenged and questioned the role of women’s agency. Through elements of self-connection with hair and breath, Wo.Defy investigates intimacy with natural materials and technology that are close to one’s skin, and provokes self-actuation through critique of social expectation within one’s culture. We gathered feedback from participants at 5 exhibitions through open-ended interviews. Self-reported experience illustrated that wearable interaction can support self-reflection contextualized through cultural artifacts such as interactive clothing.

• Wing Yi Chung, Emily Ip & Dr. Thecla Schiphorst, School of Interactive Arts + Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Canada.

Full text (PDF) p. 465-467