Vibro-tactile textiles

Helping people to engage with technology through familiar gestures and materials.

The Team: Annie Lywood, Anna Blumenkranz, Maurin Donneaud Mentor Marina Toeters

Funded by The Worth Project.

Our aim
To design an e-textile sensory device to entertain and comfort people living with dementia, disability and anxiety. Helping people to engage with technology through familiar gestures and materials.
Key words: Textile design, E-textile design, interface design, Haptic feedback, Dementia

The Interactive Textiles Project combines sensory surface design with the latest in digital touch technology. Our objective is to create a comforting and nurturing experience that uses the benefits of touch therapy in a soft cushion to calm and relax people. We aim to help people living with a number of challenges associated with older age, particularly dementia and anxiety.

In this project we will be embedding flexible electronics connected to Smart Textile sensors in the surface. Touching the sensors in the surface will trigger gentle vibrations to engage
people in stroking the sensory textiles.

Benefits we aim to create in our sensory cushions

1. Calming and engaging therapeutic cushions to lower stress levels and anxiety
2. Facilitate emotional expression and improve mood
3. Optimise quality of life
4. Harmonise the senses
Goals for this project

1. Develop the intuitive touch feedback experience
2. Design the sensory interface 
3. Map the interface design to the haptic feedback 
4. make functioning prototype to test with potential customers