“Feeling the sensor feeling you”: A soma design exploration on sensing non-habitual breathing

Title of the Paper

“Feeling the Sensor Feeling you”: A Soma Design Exploration on Sensing Non-habitual Breathing

Paper Information

• Research Domain: Human-Computer Interaction, Wearable Technology, Soma Design
• Keywords: Sensing, Actuation, Soma Design, Autobiographical Design, Breathing, Deformation, Beyond Habitual

Research Background and Problem

• Problem and Challenges: Although breathing is a simple and habitual action, it is actually a complex bodily function. Existing breathing detection methods often focus on static or regular breathing patterns, overlooking the dynamic and diverse individual differences and usage contexts.
• Significance: Breathing not only affects bodily functions but also influences emotions, perception, and other aspects. However, the design of biosensors has not deeply considered the sensory experience of breathing. Current sensors primarily focus on functional measurement, lacking reflection on how the body is perceived.
• Research Motivation and Related Work: Current HCI research predominantly focuses on static monitoring. While there has been some progress in sensor interaction exploration in fields like art and dance, there is a lack of in-depth discussion on sensory experience related to soma design.

Solution

• Methods and Solutions:

  1. Soma Design: Collaborated with professional opera singers to draw design inspiration from their non-habitual breathing training.
  2. Sensor Adaptation and Development: Tested existing sensors, such as strain sensors and electromyography (EMG) sensors, and developed innovative deformation sensor-actuator mechanisms to capture complex breathing dynamics.
  3. Prototype Design and Implementation: Integrated these sensors into a prototype garment, the “Breathing Shell,” to reflect users’ direct perception of their breathing.

• Innovations:

  1. The soma design approach integrates meticulous considerations of both technical and sensory aspects.
  2. Focuses on creating reflective experiences of “being sensed” through compression and haptic actuation, enabling symbiotic interaction between humans and sensors.
  3. Utilizes deformation sensing technology to provide intuitive, tactile feedback on breathing movements.

• Implementation Steps and Techniques:

  1. Practiced non-habitual breathing training with opera singers to develop bodily sensitivity.
  2. Tested off-the-shelf sensors while modifying and adjusting them to align with muscular dynamics.
  3. Developed deformation sensor-actuator cushions and embedded them, along with EMG sensors, into the garment prototype.

Research Outcomes

• Key Results:

  1. Breathing Shell Prototype: A wearable device combining deformation sensors, designed to capture muscular dynamics during breathing and present the breathing experience through tactile feedback.
  2. Formulated two design guidelines:
     • Reflect on the relationship between sensory experience and data capture while sensing biological data.
     • Establish a “symbiotic” perception of the body towards sensors through haptic actuation.

• Advantages Compared to Existing Solutions:

  1. Unlike existing solutions, this design emphasizes not only data collection but also sensory and experiential aspects.
  2. Demonstrated unique non-habitual breathing dynamics through the exploration with opera singers, significantly improving the connection between experience and technology.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. Testing methods were primarily focused on a small group of professional users, lacking broader user group coverage.
  2. Future research could expand to other biological data (e.g., heart rate, sweat) to explore more diverse interactions between the human body and sensors.
  3. Further investigation into the specific textures of “haptic feedback” and their impact on the interaction experience with biological data.

Conclusion

This study introduces a new design framework for the biosensing field from the perspective of soma design and autobiographical interaction. By capturing the complex dynamics of breathing and improving sensors while developing haptic feedback mechanisms, it enables users to achieve sensory resonance and reflective experiences of their bodily movements. This work represents a step forward in designing “symbiotic” interactions between humans and sensors, with broad applications and innovative significance.