Hugging Bed
Date:
Jun 2023
Showcase:
London, UK | Linz, AUSTRIA
Jun 2023 | Sep 2023
Hugging Bed is the culmination of previous prototypes and research into orientation dynamics. Besides, how non-human entities transcend imitation, developing their own tactile language in human-robot interactions has also been discussed and researched in Hugging Bed.
Project Film of Hugging Bed
In Hugging Bed, only one stepper motor is needed to drive all arms. Once the motor starts, All sets of arms are actuated and bent together, and finally enclosing the user`s body. This mechanism significantly bolstered its adaptability, making it highly responsive to unpredictable bodily inputs, including user position, proximity to the machine, gestures, and various body parts etc.
In London Festival of Architecture, Hugging Bed is exhibited for the first time. We`ve got approximately 100 people engaged with the bed, and the feedback and interviews were quie interesting.
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About Intelligent Material
Material has its own inherent intelligence. It is a property unique to the materials (Takagi, 1990), the nature of tangible objects offering whole-sensory experience, engaging human senses, and evoking emotions and memories. This material intelligence, once considered and applied effectively, underscores the richness of multi-sensory engagement and can profoundly impact the creation of distinctive embodied experiences.
One particularly potent aspect of material intelligence lies in its perceptual dimension. When individuals interact with tangible objects, they encounter a rich array of sensations, including textures, temperature, visual and haptic feedback, all of which convey information about the object's intrinsic and extrinsic properties. These rich sources of information contribute to building complex perceptual layers in the embodied experience.
Additionally, based on the huge amount of information and human`s inherent ability to associate with personal experiences, materials could evoke unique personal emotions and memories, thereby forming immediate emotional connections between the human body and the object (Crippa, Rognoli, & Levi, 2012).
Documentory of Hugging Bed in London Festival of Architecture, June 2023
Most participants found the aesthetically spiky and skeleton-like form to be creepy and expected an uncomfortable tactile experience. The translucent materials visually conveyed fragility, leading participants to anticipate a subtle and delicate touch. However, everyone was pleasantly surprised by the installation's ability to provide strong and adaptable touches. While lying down and experiencing the touch, more than two-thirds of the participants perceived the experience as akin to a hug, and desired even tighter, longer, and more extensive interactions. However, not all participants enjoyed the soft and comfortable touch. Nearly half of the participants mentioned that the texture of the soft silicone (as the inner surfaces) reminded them of some unsettling soft-bodied organisms, such as octopuses. The high adaptability and strength of the touches caused them to feel pressed and trapped. A few participants also noted that the soft yet powerful characteristics of the touch reminded them of unpleasant past experiences of being touched by unexpected individuals.
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Despite these varying responses, all participants agreed that the contrast between visual appearance and tactile expectations heightened their sensory experiences. Furthermore, they were particularly drawn to the tangible interactions encompassing haptic experiences, which could be attributed to this heightened material intelligence greatly evoking their personal emotions and providing a multisensory experience. The substantial enhancement of materiality during the interaction process facilitated highly embodied and unique experiences.
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Besides, based on its embracing movement, people kept calling it a hugging machine. It was perceived as hugging anyone, a repetitive action no matter how people react to it. This made us consider the performative aspect of identity and how it can be used to subvert imposed norms.