wearable|technologies|

Project Description

My final project is an item of clothing called the Gender Neutralization Device (GND). The GND compresses the breasts and contours the chest area in an effort to make the wearer’s chest appear flatter and as a result more masculine and/or gender neutral. Additionally, the GND also includes a built-in visual component or signaling system —switch operated LEDs—that is intended to enhance the aesthetic experience of both the user and viewer. Although the common term for the practice of the non-surgical creation of a flat chest is “binding” I prefer the term GND because it abandons the larger allusions to compression/repression—specifically the reference to the practice of Japanese foot- binding —and instead describes the device’s goals and desires.

The GND has both practical and decorative qualities and as a result functions in the zone between product and aesthetic object. The GND’s intention is to enable the wearer to de-emphasize certain signifiers of their gender identity while calling attention to themselves (as signifiers?) through the voluntary illumination of their garments. Similar to the male peacock who fans his extravagant plumage as part of courtship, the GND encourages users to stand-out or fit-in at will.

The GND's ability to display or call attention to itself at will—its peacock factor—is what differentiates it from available binders or compression systems. Since many people bind to appear flat-chested in order to bring their physiognomy in line with their gender identity, a binder that "announces" itself in some way is an anomaly. But it is the seemingly cross-purposes of the GND that I am most interested in exploring. One of my goals with the project is to further investigate this relationship between passing, transitioning and being where you are.

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A quick consult with Michael Chaldil supports my original thought which is that I am essentailly talking about live/real-time signal processing. A mic could be used to bring in the signal (an omni-directional) and then the signal could be processed—reverb, feedback, delay etc—and then output/amplified.

But how do you wear the equivalent of a rack-mounted signal processor? Michael suggests hacking a Wah-Wah pedal...

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 08:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are some early attempts in response to the question of what the binder might look like.

These drawings take the back support brace as a model... they usaully involve a metal spine that provides support. They are corset-like and very sturdy. But they might be too stiff and uncomfortable for this application.

You need to wrap the binder several times in order smooth out the look of the chest. The number of times that you wrap effect the location of the LEDs? I originally imagined the LEDs travelling along the center of the binder.

Obviously this is not for everyday use. In fact you would have to dress in a way to showcase the binder if you wanted to be able to see the illumination. Perhpas an ace bandage with some LEDs would be the best place to start.

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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When I used to make sound tracks for my films I would record “presence” tracks. I would set the recorder up and using an omni-directional microphone I would attempt to record the general feel or “presence” of a specific location or environment. I record for thirty or forty minutes sometimes. Often I would leave the recorder somewhere and comeback later. These presences would run the length of the film usually, mixed in at an almost inaudible level—city sounds, the sounds of a desolate area, the point of view of the area beneath a stick of furniture at a party.

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When I started to shoot video I was amazed by the sound presences all around me. I could just leave the headphones on and listen through the camera microphone to whatever and it immediately sounded more interesting.

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For PComp last semester I had to count all of the portable electronic devices around me on a given day. I was fascinated by the calculations. From cellphones, mp3 players, digital cameras and other handheld devices a twenty-minute subway ride to school netted many, many, many distracted people. But what if we were listening to the actual sounds around us? Not recording just listening?

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One idea: a wearable device that affects the real world sounds that you hear—like a hearing aid except that its focus is augmentation/distortion as opposed to fidelity. A wearable transducer that does not record the incoming sound but simply amplifies. A contact microphone/piezo is an obvious choice because it listens to vibrations as opposed to airborne sound waves.

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Antenna (radio), the component designed to send and receive radio waves;

Another idea in the same realm: an antennae inspired device that enables you to pick up sound waves and listen to them as you traverse the streets. Another attempt to feed into our need for distraction but this time what is holding your attention is the the world outside yourself.

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Posted by Leah Gilliam at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gender Boxing
“Binding. Urghh. But unless you're very lucky or you're prepared to walk around like a hunchback, the dread of someone spotting your female-shaped chest is a nightmare... Myself, I've managed to sprain my ribs several times in the past... Some people never leave the bedroom without binding, while others never bother at all. Each to his own.”
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/agitor/ftm/gender.html

"Bandages_Wind them round tightly (bearing in mind you still have to breathe), pushing the flesh up towards the armpits. Secure with safety pins and cover with a T-shirt. I find it is best to ensure the binding goes quite high to prevent it falling down, and sometimes use a round of sticky bandage (elastoplast) on top to ensure a safe hold."
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/agitor/ftm/bind.html

The Trans Binder...
Once I starting asking around the examples came pouring in, there are a lot of people who bind their breasts and for a wide range of reasons. Since many people risk the crushing of their ribcages in an effort to appear flat-chested—and/or male or simply not female or less so or neither/or etc etc—I thought that one simple solution might be to create some kind of binding system that not only affects the contours of the chest but also celebrates the very act of binding itself. Like armor. Like a peacock and its feathers. Like a warrior. Like the semiotics of the hanky code : as simple as a handkerchief in the pocket. A signal to the self and others if necessary that you are there. This could be a narrowcast of lights, sound bytes...

Of course further research proves that a range of people bind. Nursing mothers use binding to "Dry Up" the milk when they are weaning or nursing...

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 03:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Like many people in class I was interested in dealing with the idea of touch. I thought of soft, fuzzy things, I thought of fresh cut grass, something that is ice cold or red hot. I drew this sketch and then kind of froze and was unable to realize it. I returned to the idea this week. I ended up envisioning a ring or bracelet that would use a small vibrating motor to animate a fuzzy fabric... I continue to work on assembling the parts more specifically figuring out a way to attach the battery and create a usable switch so that the motor can be easily turned on/off.

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Susan Watkins chapter, THE DESIGN PROCESS was of immeasurable help this week while I was working on the hack a toy assignment. Ever since PComp called my attention to the electronics and construction supporting every electronic switch or component in proximity, I've been curious about the cheap electronic toys in my local $1 store—how are they made? how do they acheive portability, affordability and functionality in such a small, inexpensive package? My idea was to explore the $1 electronics world and to attempt to complete the assignment using these toys as my primary building blocks. Several $1 stores later the idea to create a wearable musical instrument from the wedding of a wristband digital watch and a Dora the Explorer "super" telephone crystallized...

Because it was made for a MUCH smaller wrist it was a bit uncomfortable to wear. Also because I had placed the keypad inside it was all the more bulkier. But it was fun to play with and it worked best when other people played the instrument. Although it is difficult to see here—sadly my camera does not possess a macro function—I liked that you could see the speaker courtesy of the former clock casing.

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

High Level Idea for Final Project …………………………………………………………

Gender Neutralization Device ||Personal Transformation Device
A wearable garment or device that might enable people to shift or re-envision their sense of self, identity or place.

At some point during the first class meeting the words Gender Neutralization Device (GND) flashed before my eyes. As someone who often engages in evocative title creation well in advance, I wasn’t particularly surprised by the revelation— I just had no idea what my subconscious was formulating. I’ve spent the last several weeks investigating this idea and focusing on ways to ground the concept in specific and realizable goals. I liked the project’s title but what did it mean? A simple free associative exercise netted the following images and fragments—Joan of Arc on the battlefield, chain mail and armor, Sun Ra, drag kings wrapping their breasts to appear flat-chested, trans as identity and “transitioning” as a verb, arcane mechanical torture devices touted as “solutions” to psychological problems. After reading the excerpts from Ruth P. Rubinstein’s Dress Codes, I realized that I was more interested in the socio-cultural reasons supporting the desire for “temporary and continuant identity transformation” than I was in creating an assistive device of some kind. I was struck by Steve Mann’s use of the term “reconfigured visual reality” in his description of his WearCam sousveillance device and his focus on parallels between reality and sight. This presented the idea that the desired identity reinvention might be technologically mediated through sound and image. Obviously this is a very high concept idea. At this point my plan is to further explore actual materials—op amps to distort sounds, technology embedded in particular styles of dress.

A bank of related images can be found here…
http://itp.nyu.edu/~lg221/wearables/ideas/finalidea.html

References
• Marjorie Garber, “Cross-Dress for Success,” from Vested Interests, Routledge, 1997
• Valerie r. Hotchkiss, Clothes Make the Man: Female Cross Dressing in Medieval Europe, Garland Publishing, 1996
•Charlotte Suthrell, Unzipping Gender: Sex, Cross-Dressing and Culture

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 07:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Assignment: Make an item of clothing using the following materials: wool, cotton, leather, an electronic component, conductive fabric or thread.

I was struck by a phrase in Ruth P. Rubinstein's article regarding believability: "Believability concerning a particular identity depends on coherence between the impression one gives and the information one "gives off."...The extent to which a performer is capable of imitating a real appearance and demeanor determines his or her credibility and successful fabrication of an identity.

For this assignment I created a Sun-Ra inspired head-dress. I have always been fascinated by his self redefinition efforts and I wanted to create something that might give the wearere the look and distinct impression that they were part of Sun-Ra's Saturnian family. My idea was to create a head set that would distort "real" sounds in an effort to create more other-worldly ones. I purchased a small portable radio and then set about trying to figure out how to distort the playback.

For the casing I used a headbaand as an armature, knitted together some brightly colored wool and created some antennae-like horns on the top for a space age effect. Although far from any aesthetic I would ever be attracted to I think it did end up looking rather Sun-Ra-esque.

The plan to use the conductive materials to distort or bend the audio was completely unsuccessful! This will require more experimentation—to bend the audio— or the specific implemetation of a proc amp— to over modulate the signal. This kind of live, real-time processing is something that I am very interested in and want to continue to explore. In the meantime I returned to the project recently and just added two LEDS using conductive thread to satisfy my desire to more fully realize the piece.

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For the first assignment I was interested in creating something that I could carry around with me that would remind me of things that I needed to remember—from new agey yogi tea quips that I found strangely enlightening to pictures of friends that have passed away. I wanted the object to be invisible to the human eye and accessible only to me. I began by rummaged through my secret collection of tea bag quips...

I picked out some salient one, reduced and shrunk down some favorite images and then prepared to create some kind of housing for them.

I found some copper sheet metal and stamped it in order to create the regular circular pattern. It took a long time to create the patterns and I spent the afternon hammering away. This somehow fit my contrasting instincts towards the hand-made and the repetitive/machine-like.

After I carried this around for a day or two I made an even smaller and more private version for myself. This version was wound very tightly and was not designed to be opened...

Posted by Leah Gilliam at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)