MA*GES
The project treats gesture as a living language that evolves through everyday interaction and could shape how we communicate with and control the Internet of Things around us. By combining citizen science, machine learning and wearable technology, MA*GES lets users define their own gestures: personal rather than prescribed, and designed for inclusivity, accessibility and agency.
An e-textile wearable with an Arduino Nano and conductive threads can be attached to any joint and captures its movements. The gestures sync with the MA*GES app and open up new ways to control and interact with a smartphone.
I was responsible for the physical prototype: the e-textile wearable and its Arduino code. Ryan McClure developed the app. The team was completed by Tian Dong and Ahad Mahmood, supervised by Prof. Tomek Ness, Dr. Elena Dieckmann and Mika Satomi.
FAQ
With a game. Playing it with real people showed how differently everyone moves and how quickly a gesture becomes personal.
These observations shaped the concept from the very beginning, and the functional prototype then informed the design further.
The e-textile wearable combines conductive threads with an Arduino Nano. It can be attached to any joint and records the movement there.
In the MA*GES app, users train their own gestures, get visual feedback as soon as a gesture is recognised, and use it to control their smartphone.
Through citizen science, people contribute their personal gestures to a shared library, so a common gesture language can grow from everyday use instead of a fixed set.
The concept follows three principles: accessibility, mindful technology and interaction beyond the screen.