NugiTex: An Interactive, Affective Wearable that Informs Users of a Plant’s “Comfort” Level through Haptic Cues
Hye Jun Youn, Sailin Zhong, Ali Shtarbanov, Patrick Chwalek
Abstract
NugiTex is a line of interactive, affective wearable garments that convey the embodied experience of plants using device-initiated haptic cues. The haptic cues reflect a plant’s “comfort” level based on proximal environmental conditions, aiming to increase awareness and induce feelings of closeness, symbiosis, and empathy with the user’s natural environment. Composed of inflatable silicone and non-elastic textile layers, NugiTex responds to nearby atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity levels, which are measured in real-time by AirSpec, smart eyeglasses fitted with sensors to collect environmental data. Variations in temperature and humidity in a room are then interpreted and translated into three types of haptic cues - shrinking, hard pushing, and mild pushing - each a metaphorical representation of the plant’s condition. Users are given these real-time haptic cues through FlowIO, a pneumatic platform for controlling the airflow and pressure of soft devices. We predict that the increase in awareness of natural entities through interactive embodied experiences will promote the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS), and encourage pro-environmental behaviors.