EmbodyCraft
ZHU YUFAN
1/1/25
Exploring Haptic Embodied Experiences for Reflective Practice in Throwing Clay
Background
// 01
Reflection is a crucial process for advancing craftsmanship. Much of craft knowledge is tacit, which cannot be easily conveyed through language, therefore leaving post-action reflection largely relying on personal recollection. Existing methods such as visualizing physical performance via video-recording have been used to support the reflection of craft practitioners, but they struggle to capture the subtle bodily actions and perceptions central to craft.
Purpose
// 02
So I started asking:
What does it mean to reflect on a bodily experience?
Can we make the felt sense of craft more accessible during reflection?
What kind of feedback can help practitioners revisit their own embodied knowledge?
These questions became the foundation of my design purpose:
Concept
// 03
To address this purpose, we proposed EmbodyCraft, which uses recordings of muscle activity and fingertip vibrations to spark reflection.
The system integrates three key data streams—muscle activity, fingertip vibrations, and video recordings—into a unified, time-synchronized dataset.
By doing so, EmbodyCraft captures and reproduces the nuanced interplay between the potter's body, the material, and the craft process, offering a richer medium for reflective practices in craft.
Implementation
// 04
To bring this concept to life, we developed a prototype that integrates both software and hardware components to deliver synchronized haptic and visual feedback. The system records three types of data during pottery-making: muscle activity from FMG sensors on the forearm, tactile vibrations from accelerometers on the fingertips, and video of the craft process.
TouchDesigner was used for data acquisition, synchronization, and playback control. It processed incoming sensor signals and aligned them with video footage in real time. The playback system was also connected to external controllers for interactive operation.
The hardware setup includes two pairs of servo motors on the wrist for skin-stretch feedback and vibro-tactile actuators on the fingertips. These components reproduce the recorded force and tactile sensations to support post-action reflection.
