WEARABLE TECH
Ni Hao, My A**
Wearable Tech
Ni Hao, My A**
A wearable device for Asian women who experience racist catcalling.
Context
While living in Paris, France, it was commonplace for me to experience people "greeting" me with the words "ni hao". According to those people, it was a friendly way of greeting people of Asian descent. My classmate, Kris Madden, and I decided to make a dress that empowers the wearer in a non-aggressive manner while still calling people out on their racism.
Process
We programmed an Arduino Lilypad to rotate a stepper motor when a button is pressed on the front side of the dress. The entire system is powered by a small battery hidden in the hem. The dress is designed to be simple, black, and unassuming, while the red underwear serves as a powerful retort against racist catcalling. The words on the underwear are embroidered, as embroidery is often seen as a feminine, gentle craft that requires significant labor.
Final Result
The final result is a video of me walking through Paris wearing the dress. Our goal was to turn it into a performance and showcase the design in action on the streets.
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️
The following video contains strobe effects that may affect photosensitive viewers.
You may watch until 1:04 and then click away or pause.