DURGA

Creating a space for self-care and restoration relieving stress and anxiety

IO<3 started as a project carried out during Fabricademy 2017. A new, improved version, Durga was named after the invincible Hindu goddess called the Demon Slayer. By connecting to our bodies and releasing our embodied stress, we are able to slay our inner demons.

GOAL

My goal was to create an improved version of IO<3, that could be worn as a more embracing garment with the hoodie, but also something that could be easily put on and off. Durga allows people who are suffering from a situation of emotional distress to connect to their body and their heart. When in a state of anxiety or stress Durga enables us to calm ourselves down by activating a vibration massage when pressing on 5 key acupressure points. The vibration is activated as long as the user keeps the sensor pressed, functioning as an enhancer of traditional acupressure enabled by touch, technology and breathing.

PROCESS

Since I wanted to change the type of garment I was going to create but not the basics of the interaction of IO<3, I went back to the drawing pad and sketched a few concepts inspired by the idea of having a garment that could also be a form of protection from the external world, allowing the user to go inward, and take care of themselves.

After establishing the new design for the garment, I made a test pattern and once I was satisfied with it, I designed it on Rhinoceros. To create the design pattern, I used a Delaunay mesh in Grasshopper, a Rhino plugin for parametric design.

I laser cut the pattern on grey neoprene, which is the outer layer of the garment, like an “armor” of sorts.

The inner layer is a silver iridescent Lycra, which is a light and fun fabric, with a soothing effect.

After I worked on the electronics programming and circuitry, using a mix of conductive fabric, conductive thread and hard components. A total of 5 massage modules was created for the prototype.

OUTCOME

Soft sensors and circuitry allow Durga to become a second skin, a membrane responsive to our own touch augmenting our action of re-embodiment into our selves whenever we need it. Durga’s modular design allows it to become a platform that can be laid beneath different types of garments, depending on the users’ preference.
In the current prototype the use of parametric design and laser cutting enabled the fabrication of a piece that can be partially designed and built by the user, enabling the spread of mass customization and minimal resource waste by building the garments on demand.

At night, or in a dark space, Durga’s gently fading blue light ads an element of visual soothing, making the garment feel like it’s breathing deeply with the user.

Durga was accepted as a finalist at international design competition Reshape 19 | Cognified Matter, and I got the opportunity to present it in front of a multidisciplinary audience of artists, scientists, designers.