BIOMIMICRY WEARABLES

Biomimicry Wearable is a set of wearable accessories that aim to make people more aware of the outside world, by encouraging them to detach themselves from their work take a restful break for their mental wellbeing. Based on the biophilia hypothesis, the project focus on the natural stimuli embodiment through sensors and actuators that the user could wear indoors to reconnect with nature. In particular, real-time wind data like speed and direction are captured from a meteorological website to produce both tactile and visual sensory stimuli such as the contact of the air with the skin and the movement of the blown blades of grass. At the start of the residency, a careful analysis of the environment, materials, activities, and previous projects carried out by the studio was undertaken. After this familiarization, concept development was implemented through desk research and learning-by-doing. The output is a functioning prototype of a wristband that lets the wearer feel the wind intensity and direction through vibrations, enacted by piezoelectric motors on the skin. A second experimental prototype is a laptop sleeve with a surface resembling wind-blown grass thanks to muscle-like actuators.