Hello- my background is in costume design for film, television, and theater. Even though a large portion of this field resides in the tactile production of the costumes themselves, there is an equal important role of the research that goes into the design process. A costume designer must understand both the objective and the subjective factors that work together to determine why people clothe themselves as they do in order to fully develop the possibilities presented by the characters in any given situation. This understanding comes from observation and research, and shares a lot of similarities with the human centered design process.

My intention since the beginning of the program has always been to focus on wearable technology. Having spent quite some time bouncing around various ideas, I realized that through wearable tech I would be able to utilize all my skills and interests in one field. I hope to concentrate my research in this class on the future of prosthetics, and therefore reframing the very definition of it. I am particularly interested in the intersection between the body and the artificial, and the implications of design that merges the two.

– stephanie