Lokahi: The Wearable Body Pillow to Foster an Intimate Interaction Between Two Users Through Their Heartbeat Awareness

Abstract

We present the design concept Lokahi: a soft, interactive, wearable device which aims to promote a pleasant, intimate closeness sensation between two people. Its shape is designed to encourage hugging, while the embedded electronics –through pulsating coloured lights– lets the users to visualise their own heartbeats, so that they are aware of each other’s current affective state. Lights hues mix according to the synchronisation of the two heartbeats, possibly producing a single hue: such shared visual feedback can potentially be used in relaxing and meditative exercises, where two people try to synch their own heartbeats.