Wearable Absence

Wearable Absence is an interactive garment that functions as an interface for a database of digital memories.

Through the use of wireless technology and bio-sensors, users of the garment are able to retrieve archived information from an "absent" person's life via a mobile application.

What's interesting about this project is that the user has no real control of when and how they receive these digital memories. The flow of information is unconsciously triggered by bio-sensors that monitor the physical state of the wearer.

You can watch a video of the project at subTela or Wearable Absence site.

The project was a collaboration between Barbara Layne, the Director of Studio subTela at Hexagram-Concordia in Montreal and Janis Jefferies, Artistic Director of the Digital Studios at Goldsmiths College in London.

Tags: Wireless Wearables

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Comment by Barbara Layne on June 4, 2010 at 3:41am: Hi Meg,
Yes you understand the functioning of the jacket well. However, the owner of the jacket can determine who uploads to the database, whether it be the owner, the absent person or the world.

Comment by meg on June 4, 2010 at 1:33am: this looks like a great project, but i'd like to understand more what it actually does. as far as i can figure out, there is an "absent" person who makes a database of "media" (sound, text, video?) and tags it with categories. then the jacket reads "biometrics" (heart rate, skin conductivity?) from the wearer, which correlate with the categories. the wearer is then fed media from that category, bringing them into contact with the "absent" person.

do i understand it correctly?