Interim

Touch is the most intimate of the senses. It can create an enormous range of sensations that trigger various emotions. In my project I wanted to explore the sense of touch. Undeniably touch is kinetic; we use our hands to stroke a cat, our feet to test the temperature of a pool, our tongues to play with a lolly in our mouths. To create an interesting experience for the sense of touch I would have to create an object that can be interacted with in a kinetic way.

I chose to create a box of wires where the angle of the wires can be adjusted to alter the sensation they create when stroked against the skin. This artificial ‘grain’ can change the sensation from being a pleasant massage to a scratchy rake. The angle of the wires is adjusted by rotating the rods which they are mounted on and locking the rods in place with a latch. Not only do the wires provide a sensual experience but the kinetic manipulation of them adds to the experience as well.

Finally, being able to manipulate the wires means that the user is able to customise their experience, and is free to experiment.