Electronic Textiles as Tangible Interface for Virtual Reality

This project investigates the development of a series of experimental, tangible, electronic textile (e-textile) interfaces to virtual reality (VR), using the approach of human-computer interaction (HCI). The e-textile interface is an unconventional controller that manipulates objects (3D visual asset) within virtual reality. This research has been framed within the context of HCI using a framework of Tangible User Interfaces (Ulmer and Ishii 2000). Through this research I explore how human touch relates to tangible objects and passive haptics. I also explore the overlap between visual experience and virtual reality by employing the theory of Haptic-Visual overlap (Fitzmaurice 1998), which deals with 3D volumetric perception of a physical object as well as the idea of Active Touch (Gibson 1962, Lederman and Klatzky 2009, Visell et al. 2016). Using the aforementioned theoretical frameworks and employing research through design methodology, I prototyped a series of explorative e-textile interfaces and virtual reality digital counterparts