The dynamic moving body remains an under-represented resource for the design of interactive body-centric elements and systems, yet our bodies are not just capable of movement, their fundamental state is dynamic. Swing That Thing places our dynamic, moving bodies at the centre of an inquiry into how technology might be paired with the body to poeticise experience. By extending the body mechanically, gesturally and sensorially I aim to better understand: how to incite people to move and extend themselves physically; the value of a direct consideration of the body's tendencies and affordances when creating interactive body-centric elements and systems; the value of visceral experience and full-body, or 'beyond limb- and digit-triggered' interaction; as well as the idiosyncratic nature of relationships to the body and technology; and how to provoke, incite or inspire reflection about these relationships through the creation, presentation and use of wearable interactive artefacts. Research to date will be presented, including hip-controlled and other gestural interfaces that extend the body through sound, light and form. Graphic extensions, currently in development, will also be discussed. The investigation is in process but outcomes are rich and suggest many directions worthy of further investigation. Current applications include presentation in art, design and performance contexts, exhibitions allowing public interaction and physical engagement, and broader applications in sport, health, disability and learning. The suggestion is that placing the dynamic, moving body and our idiosyncratic needs and desires at the centre of body-centric research will lead us to more appropriate, value-added, human-centric outcomes.
Authors: Danielle Wilde
Event: SF08: Embodied Interaction in Mobile, Physical and Virtual Environments Workshop