Sensing yourself by sensing the ground: getting intimate with the environment through vibrotactile stimulation

My practice-based research involves the design of wearable technology for enhancing proprioceptive and tactile sensitivity. Haplós is a low-cost, portable device that applies vibrotactile patterns to the skin, can be incorporated in existing clothing and implements, and can be programmed and activated remotely. It is inspired by the Feldenkrais Method (Feldenkrais, 1972), a movement-based learning system for neuromuscular re-education. I conducted a series of public engagement events and workshops that demonstrate how users of Haplós felt their relationship to the environment - specifically, the ground - more clearly through the application of vibrotactile stimuli. 

This poster shows two drawings generated by one of the participants. The shaded areas represent portions of the back that the participant could feel in contact with the ground when lying down. After stimulating one side of their back with Haplós, most participants reported that they felt more of that side of their back clearly and in contact with the ground. I thus argue that as a technology for improving self-sensing, Haplós can also be understood as a technology for getting to know the environment more intimately. As Höök et al. (2015) note, “by increasing our body awareness through engaging in various forms of training, we can become more perceptive and aware in the physical world in which we live and act”.