Master Work

DDW x GDG 2024

Ambiente Talents 2024

Ambiente Trends 24+

2022.10-2023.07

Let Me Touch You

A design research under the theme:

How to blur the line between creatures and objects

How long have you not been touched? 

How long have you not touched others? 

While we spend hours a day "physically" tapping on our smartphones, we have less and less social contact and therefore less physical contact with the people around us. Humans are social beings by nature. Touch is essential for people and for life. It provides not only psychological but also emotional satisfaction.

But we certainly don't want to be touched by a piece of plastic or metal. We look forward to being gently touched by our favorite person or a cute animal, i.e. a living being. So that’s the problem I have solved in this project: How to blur the line between creatures and objects?

Soft Robotic technology helped me to realize the idea of a living product. Soft robots are made of soft, elastic materials such as silicone and offer unique possibilities in areas where they cannot be realized with conventional rigid robots. The silicone model can grow and bend with the structure by inflating and deflating the pump to realize certain behaviors, such as breathing and hugging. Through the deformation of the silicone model, pressure is exerted on people's skin to produce the human-like touch. And this silicone also has a skin-like texture. I also combined silicone with conductive material. That's why it can also recognize and respond to human touch.

A Big Pink Bubble

As the name this is a pink silicone airbag. It is the size of a pillow. After filling the pump, it starts to breathe. Unlike ordinary pillows, the air gives a wavy feeling and the touch of silicone is more like skin. Holding it feels like holding a small baby. It has a smooth surface on the front and a small, textured back. People can feel different haptics.

Bubble Waves

There are five narrow bubbles on each side that look like arms. They can be placed on the thighs, upper body or shoulders. When connected to the pump, it pulsates gently and when there is enough air in the bubbles, the bubbles bend like arms. It gives hugs in this way.

Bubble Dreams

Bubble Dream can be attached to the wall. It consists of three bubbles and a section made of wool. Like the other products, it can be filled with air to exert pressure on the skin and touch people. The special feature is that this wool area is combined with conductive material. It can recognize the touch of people and react to it. You can put your head on the silicone bubbles and at the same time touch the trigger part and feel the movement of the bubbles. It makes people calm and happy.

Touch gives not only psychological but also emotional satisfaction. It is not only the touch itself that is important, but also the feel. Materials such as plastic or synthetic tend to be perceived negatively, while materials that are soft and human-like are perceived positively.

See Let Me Touch You in Ambiente 2024!