Non-Degree / Dates: 15-19 January 2024

How do you think, could a dress or a jacket make you feel more confident, evoke pleasant memories, or communicate the emotions of your partner at a distance? Yes, it certainly can. By joining this course, you will find out not only how but will create your own vibrotactile feedback embedded in a wearable form, such as a garment or an accessory.

This one-week hands-on experimental course will introduce core design principles related to novel wearable technology with a focus on vibrotactile feedback. The main goal is to explore how to design and build wearables that communicate rich information via tactile sense.

During the first half of the course the students will learn the fundamental design principle for wearables, then will dive deeper into vibrotactile feedback and how it can be designed to communicate rich information. 

During the second half of the course, the students will work in groups to first ideate, then create the vibrotactile patterns to convey information for the selected user scenario. The students will work with the specialized software to create vibrotactile patterns and will use Arduino controllers, and actuators to build high-fidelity prototypes.  

The outcome of the course is to design and build a working wearable prototype that can be used for evaluation.

During the course, the students will be supported by experts in Interaction Design and Haptics, Smart Textiles, and Arduino programming engineers.

Why this course?

  • This course provides a unique opportunity to explore the main technological and design principles for a very novel type of technology – wearable haptics.

  • You will learn the types of haptic feedback and actuation technology, tactile sensing, and design challenges for wearable haptics.

  • You will create your own haptic wearable prototype and will learn about the possible applications for similar systems.

Teacher(s)

Yulia Zhiglova, Junior Researcher of the Human-Computer Interaction group in Tallinn University. In her research, she investigates how vibrotactile displays, embedded in wearable forms, may enable implicit behavior and self-perception change.
Vladimir Tomberg, PhD, Associate Professor of Interaction design in Tallinn University.

Timetable

Classes take place each week from Monday to Friday. The lectures are planned for each day 10:00 – 14:00.

Participants

Although this course welcomes everyone who is interested in wearable tech and who possesses knowledge of interaction design and software/hardware development, we believe that the game designers, fashion designers, and product designers from both creative and health and well-being industries will benefit the most. 

The course is limited to 16 participants.

Credit points

Upon participation in at least 90% of classes and completion of course work (high fidelity prototype), students will be awarded 2 ECTS points and a diploma of completion.

Course fee

400 EUR – early bird course fee (until November 30). 450 EUR – regular fee (after November 30).

Accommodationcultural programme and meals are not included in the the price.