Wearable Material Properties: Passive Wearable Microstructures as Adaptable Interfaces for the Physical Environment

Users interact with static objects daily, but their preferences and needs may vary. Making the objects dynamic or adaptable requires updating all objects. Instead, we propose a novel wearable interface that empowers users to adjust perceived material properties. To explore such wearable interfaces, we design unit cell structures that can be tiled to create surfaces with switchable properties. Each unit can be switched between two states while worn, through an integrated bistable spring and tendon-driven trigger mechanism. Our switchable properties include stiffness, height, shape, texture, and their combinations. Our wearable material interfaces are passive, 3D printed, and personalizable. We present a design tool to support users in designing their customized wearable material properties. We demonstrate several example prototypes, e.g., a sleeve allowing users to adapt to how different surfaces feel, a shoe sole for users walking on different ground conditions, a prototype supporting both pillow and protective helmet properties, or a collar that can be transformed into a neck pillow with variable support.