Skill-Sleeves: Designing Electrode Garments for Wearability

Abstract

Many existing explorations of wearables for HCI consider functionality first and wearability second. Typically, as the technologies, designs, and experiential understandings develop, attention can shift towards questions of deployment and wearability. To support this shift of focus we present a case study of the iterative design of electrode sleeves. We consider the design motivations and background that led to the existing, prototype EMS sleeves, and the resultant challenges around their wearability. Through our own design research practice, we seek to reveal design criteria towards the wearability of such a sleeve, and provide designs that optimise for those criteria. We contribute (1) new electrode sleeve designs, which begin to make it practicable to take EMS beyond the lab, (2) new fabrication processes that support rapid production and personalisation, and (3) reflections on criteria for wearability across new eTextile garments.