No. 106
SHEBON
By : Sarah Petkus
Entrant’s location : United States
LINKS
Description
a wearable platform for sensing and indicating human arousal
What did you create?
SHEBON is a wearable platform for sensing and indicating aspects of physical arousal. The project consists of a collection of devices which I've created for use with different parts of my body. Each device senses a specific form of bio-data as input, and then leverages that information to communicate what my body is experiencing with performative electronic and mechanical output.
Why did you make it?
The goal of the project is to show how custom technology created "by the user, for the user", can help us express aspects of our individuality in new ways, and through doing so, encourage healthy communication about intimacy. I began working on SHEBON with the intention to break social stigmas and confront taboos regarding sexuality. I believe that if more people decide to create their own wearable-tech to help express who they are, or communicate in unique ways, this will make everyday encounters with other people more memorable and improve our quality of life by changing how we relate to one another. By documenting and publishing the build process of each SHEBON device on my Youtube channel, I hope to encourage others to create what they want to see exist in the world. It is my wish that through doing so, the process of creation may spark an open and honest dialogue about needs, desires, and expectations amongst other creators and hardware developers in my community. The SHEBON build documentation can be found on my youtube channel, "ROBOHEMIAN!" : https://youtu.be/jiXg1AAxpyM
How did you make it?
Each of the SHEBON devices uses one or more sensors to source data from the particular part of my body that the wearable is designed for. Once the bio-feedback crosses a threshold that I’ve determined is consistent with arousal, the wearable is triggered to perform mechanical or electronic output as indication of what my body is experiencing. The SHE BON devices are designed in CAD (Fusion360) and I've hand assembled/fabricated them from 3D printed parts, machined aluminum, or modified found objects. The wearables are controlled by a custom printed circuitboard which I’ve design to serve the specific needs of each device. The PCBs were designed using EagleCAD for circuit layout and fabricated with Seeed Studio.
Your entry’s specification
The entire collection of wearables fit into one 35cm X 50cm x 70cm shipping container and weighs approximately 15kg. The devices can collectively be displayed on one or more mannequins, and can run off of their own power supply and wall outlet adaptor.