Body-Technology Interfaces

Laptop Compubody Sock for privacy, warmth, and concentration in public spaces

Participatory Design Conference 2008 (download PDF below), and ongoing.

Our interactions with personal electronic devices provoke a broad range of emotions from frustration to confusion to feverish obsession. Increasingly, these devices dominate our everyday work activities, our behavior in public space, and our personal communications. Becky will conduct interviews to help create custom-knitted coverings for participants’ personal electronic devices. The installation aims to bring critical awareness and consideration to the complex relationship between people and technological artifacts. Each BTI will reflect salient interaction behaviors between the participant and their chosen device, as well as provoke thought in observers.

You’re invited to participate in creating your own Body Technology Interface using the knitted components provided in the installation. After working with Becky on a design and sketch, a kit of parts will be assembled for the execution of your design. You may choose to sit and work on your creation at the table workspace, take your kit with you to assemble during other sessions, or leave it with Becky to assemble and pick it up later. Photos and thoughts will be documented on the project website, so please share your thoughts and experiences with Becky via email (Becky AT Sternlab DOT org).

Cell Phone Ski Mask
<br/> <br/> Ski Mask for Eating a Sandwich


Keyboard Interface for Computer Programming

Devices constructed during the 2008 Participatory Design Conference:

I Am Talking on the Phone by Yvonne Dittrich


Drooling Buddy for Air Travel by Qiawen Wu


TalkMan for Listening to Yourself Talk by Hugh Musick


Keyboard Kozy by Janet Davis

Plug-in Bandana by Petra Ahde


Cameraglove by Anne Louise Bang


Hand-Shaking Glove by Becky Stern


Weaver Beaver Buster for Letting Go of Stress by Lois Weaver

More photos are available on Flickr.

A loose outline of a pattern for these devices can be found on Instructables.

Special thankd to Terri McCook of the Fiber Factory in Mesa, AZ for the gracious loan of her knitting machine.

Press: Featured on Engadget and Gizmodo.

Files:
BTI_info.pdf