Wearable technology is changing rapidly—pushing out from the lab, into the streets, and onto the wrists, shoes, and faces of the general public. As the current generation of consumer wearables gives way to the next, the reach and variety of devices will see unprecedented growth; finding new applications and new audiences, integrating new forms and new garments, and exposing new streams of data to be processed and understood. Yet, the challenge to design these wearables is complex; embedding high performance electronics into comfortable, fashionable garments pushes the limits of our current knowledge of digital, textile, and design technologies.
Wearables now represent the most intimate devices ever created, and designers are called on to build and challenge the connection between the body and this deeply personal technology. Our goal is to bring together the people who are investing in this new space, who care about the role of design and designers in wearable technology, and who want to gather to learn from each other.
The symposium will feature speakers, panels, workshops, a design exhibit, and an opening reception. Each of these events will focus on the role of design in wearable technology, and will address topics across these common themes:
Exploration and the future
Applications on the body
Technology for design
Materials and processes
Prototype to production
Personalization and customization
Humanizing the quantified self
Culture and social impact
This symposium is hosted by the School of Industrial Design and sponsored by the College of Architecture.
