Comfort zone: A 3D printed bioplastic foam wearable that explores tactile perception

Abstract

This project describes the design and fabrication of a wearable intended to bring awareness to the often-neglected tactile sense. The tactile wearable is designed to simulate a hug by applying pressure to the body through an inflatable. A hug pressure map, captured through an analog imprint, is applied onto a digital model, and further processed in computational design software using vertex colour information. The resulting shape features holes that vary in size and density according to the colour map intensity, which in turn determine the location and magnitude of inflation, thus the pressure applied to the body. A series of tests is conducted to find a bio-based material with sufficient viscosity for 3D printing, and enough rigidity to locally withstand the force of inflation once dried. The wearable is extruded from this material, following a digitally produced path, while the inflatable element is manually made from latex.