Designing emotional technologies: collaborating across design, health and engineering to humanise wearable health technologies
Creators: name: Heiss, Leah
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024

description: Designing Emotional Technologies is a material-led practice where human engagement, iterative prototyping and embedded collaboration are vital to humanising wearable health technologies. Throughout the PhD I have been a designer at the table in the development of two technologies: the Smart Heart cardiac monitor necklace and Facett modular hearing aid. Both technologies seek to shift the stigma of wearable health technologies; to move them from disability to desirability. In order to humanise these technologies I have sought inspiration from the mineralogy collection at Museums Victoria to inform the shape, texture, colour and finish of the designs. This has evolved emotional technologies that are precious rather than medical in their aesthetic, helping to overcome the stigma associated with such devices.<br><br> The term emotional technologies encompasses two design elements in the PhD research: design outcomes and design process. Design outcomes are the finished technologies and products I have designed through the PhD: the Smart Heart cardiac monitor necklace and Facett hearing aid. Design process refers to the iterative prototypes created while working towards the design outcomes. This encompasses the 3D prints, woven prototypes and the Tactile Tools workshop experience.<br><br> During the PhD I have developed a novel way of practicing in which I use iterative prototypes to build trust with collaborators and encourage emotional engagement with technology users. This haptic and tactile way of engaging recognises the power of artefacts to create intimacy between people and foster trust and empathy. The prototypes, rather than a by-product of the design process, are reframed as a living record of the interactions, conversations, arguments and conciliation that occurred throughout projects. They play many powerful roles in the design process, as solution conjectures, as small wins and as boundary objects. Prototyping early and often has allowed me to navigate around cultural, social and technological obstacles in the design process. I have distilled this approach in the Tactile Tools, a facilitated workshop experience that brings interdisciplinary teams together to iteratively solve complex design problems. Throughout the research I have facilitated three Tactile Tools experiences and worked with 83 participants from across the cancer care, engineering and end-of-life sectors. Using the Tactile Tools I have worked with oncologists, funeral directors, nurses, art therapists, patients, carers, engineers, educators, artists, counsellors, palliative care advocates and government officials.<br><br>I was embedded for the duration of technology development during both Smart Heart and Facett. This entailed being present for a longer duration and part of interdisciplinary negotiations while the technology was being developed. Being a designer at the table in these projects ensured that the emotional experience of users was part of the design space alongside technical considerations. In Smart Heart and Facett I worked in interdisciplinary teams that traversed mechanical, electronic and electrical engineering; manufacturing; audiology; weaving and marketing to deliver these emotional technologies. I used iterative prototypes within these projects to invite participation in the design process from technology users and collaborators.<br><br> Emotional engagement is central to all parts of the PhD research. In order to understand what people really felt about their wearable health technologies I conducted seven focus groups, in aged care and with hearing aid users. These engagements used the power of iterative prototypes to invite people into the design process and helped me to understand more about how people felt about their cardiac monitors, hearing aids and falls monitors.<br><br> My contribution to design practice encompasses a number of central ideas that are reflected throughout the PhD. The first of these is that in order to destigmatise wearable health technologies we need to shift the aesthetic categories of these devices. In Smart Heart and Facett this is achieved by looking to mineralogical precedents and the work of new media artists, sculptors and jewellers for inspiration. The second idea is that to create wearable health technologies that people actually want to wear design needs a seat at the table throughout technology development. The third idea is that prototypes are active players in the design process. They have the power to build relationships and encourage participation from technology users and team members. The final idea is that to create emotional technologies we need to engage on a deeper level with the emotional experience of people. It is by continually advocating for the emotional experience of real people in the design process that we can create wearable health technologies that improve lives.