Embodying material ideation
Danielle Wilde · University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) · 2015
New materials and technologies offer the potential for highly innovative systems. Yet also challenge us to expand how we design. ‘Post-disciplinary embodied ideation’ is an emerging approach to knowledge generation and exchange amongst designers, scientists and the public. Its purpose is to enrich the conception and design of innovative on-body systems, informed – yet unconstrained – by current knowledge. In this paper I describe three approaches to engaging the public in post- disciplinary embodied ideation. In each case, the use of video, photography, audio, and other forms of documentation are carefully curated to support and fruitfully disrupt – rather than interfere with – the aesthetic experience. So, while micro-analysis of video and audio might promise deep insights, significant challenges remain if such approaches are to be effectively leveraged. By opening this work up to the research community I hope to launch a conversation about how post-disciplinary approaches to embodied ideation might evolve to support deeper analysis. In doing so, I contribute to the development of a theoretical lens for this emerging area of research.