Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
Nottingham Trent University
Aeolia: Stretch Sensing on the Body
Aeolia is an interdisciplinary body of work that investigates craft as a methodology for interaction design (see output 4) through the collaborative development of tangible interfaces. Kettley led the project, setting the research agenda, winning funding (ppt:17), and managing a diverse team of specialists in textile techniques, pattern cutting, sound design and music. The project contributed to HCI’s turn to the physical through its focus on the materiality of the interface, rather than user experience of an output (ppt;2-8), and articulated knowledge embedded in textile practices for new communities of creative technology (Output 1). It addressed two research questions: what is materiality in interface design, (see output3) and what can textile knowledge contribute to engagement with technology, using a practice-based methodology, including the development of new forms of situated collaborative practice (ppt:21). It used a novel smart material (stretch sensor) to ‘de-familiarise’ textile practice, producing three garments (ppt:2-4) in combination with an interaction design brief (ppt:15) to develop a prototype interactive garment for music performance (ppt:11).
Project outcomes and beneficiaries included three garment concepts with embedded stretch sensors (ppt:3-4), a collection of textile samples for stretch sensing on the body (ppt;5), knitted stretch sensor prototypes (ppt;7-8), a working ‘cello garment’ prototype with knitted stretch sensor (ppt:6,11-12). It demonstrated the value of textile knowledge for HCI, Interaction Design and wearables development (ppt;13-15), offered new knowledge about the epistemology of textile design (ppt;18) through public exhibitions and performances (ppt;2,10-12). It informed policy (ppt;19-20) through a series of talks and papers (ppt;21-25) and developed new forms of collaborative interdisciplinary practice (ppt;21). Aeolia has led to invitations to continue body-focused textiles research with dance, movement and wellbeing (ppt;27-28).
