3D-printed corset makes the wearer more naked as smartphone data is shared

3D-printed corset makes the wearer more naked as smartphone data is shared
all images courtesy of xuedi chen and pedro G.C. oliveira

designers xuedi chen and pedro G.C. oliveira have constructed ‘x.pose‘, a smartphone-connected 3d printed corset, which comprises reactive displays that turn transparent when smartphone data collected. the project acts an exploration and commentary on the current internet culture of our generation and the relationship we share with our data. individuals carrying cell phones and connecting with services such as google or facebook have agreed, often without conscious consideration, to policies that grant these service providers explicit rights to harvest and utilize personal data on a massive scale. based on account activity logs, google clearly knows where their users are, have been, and possibly even where they’re going. the transparency of information renders us ‘naked’.

‘x.pose’ broadcasts the wearer’s data everyone to see. a server and mobile app were built to collect xuedi — the designer’s geolocation data over time to use as the basis for a personalized 3D printed flexible mesh. using arduino and bluetooth, the app communicates with a layer of reactive displays that reflects the trails of information that she produces. the displays are divided up into patches that represent neighborhoods and change in opacity depending on the wearer’s current location. depending on the site she is most near too, the spot on the body will pulse, revealing the fact that her data is being collected and simultaneously exposing her skin. as her data emissions are collected, the wearer becomes more and more naked.

3D printed flexible mesh is controlled by a smart phone

reactive displays turn transparent when data is being collected in a particular location

as the wearer uses apps and social networks, the corset changes its form

the panels become transparent

network schematic

construction schematic

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.