Loop - intimacy, one touch away

Abstract: Tactile interaction plays an important role in human relationships, alleviating anxiety, stress and depression, through the release of endorphin and other physical functions. In several societies touch between people is either seen as a taboo or decreasing in behalf of the heavy use of technology. New parents are particularly affected by lack of touch (and consequential lack of intimacy) partially because of evolutionary traits of constant focus on the o spring for survival reasons. This project explored the possibilities of creating a motivation for couples to increase tactile interaction in the shape of an object. Throughout interviews with different couples I recognized a need for this object to not increase sexual pressure. Different objects were tested, and the credible scenario for usage became an issue. Considering the moments young couples spend together and their technological inclinations, a wristband that uses tactile interaction between people as power was developed. The band assists the couple with their technological needs such as navigating through movies, raising and lowering volumes, playing in different devices, among others. It requires the couple to record touches on each other which will then be read as actions, such as a remote control. The wristband is a potential object to be used deliberately when couples feel the pressure of the lack of touch, however, it does not stand against the use of technology as a barrier-creating agent between people.