5th Istanbul Design Biennial "Designing into the Future" Virtual Design Residency
I Bark If You Get Close
wearable tech, speculative design
wearable tech, speculative design
I Bark If You Get Close is a wearable distance detection system created as a design response to COVID-19. During increased importance of the distance we put between each other, I thought it would be a fruitful exercise to think about the design responsibilities that came with pandemic related requirements.
The piece is composed of an ultrasonic rangefinder, an e-ink display, an amplifier and a speaker.
Through the CircuitPython code embedded in the system, the barking sound is played via amplifier and speaker and is triggered by the distance-or lack of it-, through ultasonic rangefinder detecting differences in the distance.
The design proposal was submitted and accepted to the virtual design residency of the 5th Istanbul Design Biennale, called "Designing into the Future."
E-ink screen displaying message
Initially, the prototype was designed as a mask with an e-ink screen on it, displaying a message to make the approaching person to adjust their distance.
However, after further consideration and feedback from Paul Mirel who assisted me throughout the project, I iterated on the first version and turned it into a shoulder piece.
