Upasana Jain

Wearables that allows two people to be intimate with each other in the same physical space, especially when they're in a social setting.

http://www.upasanajain.com/blog/

Description

CONCEPT:

Often in social settings, I have seen couples express their feelings and desire for each other in subtle, non-verbal ways, likely because they do not want to grab anyone else's attention and yet be able to communicate with each other.

I find this non-verbal “secret” way of communication very interesting as it can manifest itself in various different ways. When I started thinking deeply about intimacy and non-verbal communication, a lot of images started coming to my head. I have seen couples flirting by gently rubbing their legs against each other's in a restaurant or winking at their partner to communicate something. There is a lot that gestures, signs and body language can convey that we cannot express in words.

This pair of wearables play with this idea of tactility, playfulness and intimacy, which can be used to have a secret conversation with your loved ones in the same physical space, when surrounded by a lot of people.

DESIGN:

My idea is to have a pair of responsive garments, one for you and one for your partner, that encourages you to be closer to your partner based on your desire/mood. For women I have designed a skirt, and for the men I have designed a boxer short. The garments are connected to each other using a wireless receiver.

A button on each garment lets the user control his/her partner’s garment by making the ruffles flap and vibrate. These different touches can be used as a means to express feelings like ‘I miss you’, 'I want you now', 'Lets get out of here', 'I am bored,' etc and also work on a psychological level.

Classes

Basic Analog Circuits, Circuit Design and Prototyping (4 points), Making Sense of Wearables