Living with your own ideas
Here I’m exploring first-person design methodologies through creating unique prosthetics that embody my personal needs, struggles, and aspirations.
Last updated
Here I’m exploring first-person design methodologies through creating unique prosthetics that embody my personal needs, struggles, and aspirations.
Last updated
In this course, we’re encouraged to design prosthetics for ourselves, tools and devices that address personal challenges or limitations we want to overcome. Through first-person perspective design, we experiment with ideas that live within our own needs, learning to balance functionality and self-expression. We draw from inspiring texts by thinkers and makers such as Donna Haraway and Jill Magid to better understand how self-agency, identity, and personal experience can shape the design process. By the end of the course, we’ll have documented our work in a short film or article, alongside prototypes that express our interpretations.
For this challenge, I tackled a deeply personal issue: hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), which affects my comfort and confidence in social spaces, especially in crowded places or while dancing. I created an Anti-Sweat Kit, a set of three prosthetics to help me feel more at ease and expressive without worrying about visible sweat. Each piece was designed to provide both comfort and style, allowing me to embody the best version of myself: relaxed, expressive, and unafraid of being noticed, ¿noticed?
Prosthetic Details:
Bandana with metal plate: This bandana incorporates a metal strip across the forehead, which not only absorbs sweat but offers a cooling effect due to the metal's cold surface. It also blends with my style, adding a sleek, techno-inspired look while keeping me comfortable.
Arm sweat pads: These shoulder pads cover the armpits to hide sweat stains while also absorbing moisture. I chose cork for its natural absorbent qualities, which adds to its practical function. The arm pads make me feel more confident in crowded places, helping me move freely without the constant worry of visible sweat.
The cowbell prosthesis is my interpretation of this brief, focusing on the themes of control and surveillance imposed on non-human animals. Wearing a cowbell around my neck offers a glimpse into what it might feel like to be constantly tracked, with the sound marking my every movement and signaling my location to others. This simple object, though unassuming, represents a loss of autonomy for livestock, where the bell serves as a reminder that their presence is constantly monitored and managed.
By adopting this object myself, I can question the layers of meaning we place on animals through tools like the cowbell. It reveals how we shape their lives through subtle but significant methods of control, turning natural freedom into a monitored experience. The cowbell thus becomes a tool not only of physical containment but also of symbolic dominance, emphasizing how we perceive and manage non-human lives within the frameworks of ownership and utility.
For this challenge, we were asked to design prosthetics that would shape how we wanted to be perceived by the "detective." I focused on creating a confident and joyful presence, one that invites others to connect and share in my world. Each prosthetic represented a different aspect of this concept, helping me express happiness, comfort, and authenticity.
Shared music earphones: Music is a big part of my self-expression and brings me joy, so I designed my first prosthesis to share that experience. I wore one earphone myself and left the other clearly available for the detective, inviting them to join me in my world of sound. This gesture was meant to convey a sense of openness, happiness, and a willingness to connect.
Raincoat for the detective: To embrace my love for new experiences, I chose not to wear a raincoat myself but instead offered one to the detective. This was a symbolic way of showing that I am comfortable and free, enjoying the natural elements without reservations. It reflected my openness to experiencing the world as it is, showing that I am secure in my own comfort and happy to share that with others.
Semi-opaque mask of self-expression: Finally, I wore a semi-opaque mask that partially obscured my eyes, symbolizing my confidence and independence from external judgment. By blocking part of my vision, I could focus more on my inner experience, allowing me to live fully in the moment without worrying about how others might perceive me. This mask intensified my connection with music and the rain, creating a "bubble" of personal happiness and security that only I could experience.
