Chris Fonseca is a well-known deaf street style dancer who senses vibration of the music and uses it to express his feelings and emotions through dance choreographies. Technology is changing the way we experience life and the way we express our thoughts which gives us an opportunity to explore how to use the body as an instrument and its relation with the digital world in the upcoming future and the emerging social inclusive market.
E-shoes are a Smart Product which has the potential to liberate the mind and soul for enabled and disabled dancers that tracks the movement of the feet in real time and visualizes it in different digital graphics thus helping to tell stories and transmit emotions with the public and indeed the world. This then combines the innovate materials of the e-shoes and electronics which is usable as wearables applications and approaches the technology for mediating between our body and digital in the dancing context. The principal goal is to create an interaction where dancing is taking to another level and the connection with the audience is beyond any disabilities.
The shoes have been produced totally in a FabLab space using different rapid prototyping technics with a very high customization process. The same way a tailor creates a suit. The dancers feet is being scanned to design a digital last with the users measurements. The sole is designed with parametric software Grasshopper to create an ergonomic pattern. Then it is 3D printed using flexible filaments (Insole – Midsole and Outsole). The Upper part is made with digital patterns and 3d modelling Rhinoceros software. Afterwards it is made-up using 3D Printing over fabric technic and flexible filaments. The interaction is based in a soft connection electronic system including an accelerometer and gyroscope sensors sending movement data directly to visual graphics being projected at the dancer’s performance. The circuit interaction can be personalized to the users needs being able to reproduce sound with the movement or feel the music rhythm through vibration sensors. On the second stage of the prototype the sole will be redesigned into just one piece that will be assembled with the upper part of the shoe with an interlocking and sewing system. This upgrade will allow us to treat all materials as reusable after the end of the life cycle of the product.
Dissemination Strategy:
The main goal is to find potential dancers in the relevant community as users and create a universe around the product which can be used and play a principle role in their performances.
What is the product to talk about?:
The E-shoes needs to be communicated as a smart product with a personalized interaction that makes us forget about disability and erase the existing gap between the physical aspects of the dancers which limit conditions and the healthy society, which don’t have the same issues. This make us all seem the same as the shoes act as a bridge through digital art.
How?:
The message must be spread through dancer’s influencers, disability art organizations, foundations, dance companies and academies such Candoco Dance Company. The product should be used by everyone. To reach the goal of equality the interaction can’t be seen oridentified as something that’s used just by group of dancers with different conditions. One of idealstrategies would be choreographies and dancing shows (flash mobs – street dancers – viralvideos) were the public don’t know who is has limited abilities.
Where?:
Dancers usually are rolled into a community group. This communication media channels needs to
be integrated with, for example, like chat groups, facebook events, Instagram, Youtube channels,
dancing performances, digital blogs, academy events, entertainment agencies.
When?:
The social and cultural context plays an important role. The 5G technology will create practical and communication systems and the wearable products fabrication will be easier to fabricate. In 5 years time society will be ready for digital interactions with a human body in everyday life. According to the initial prototyping research the cost of the product is around 450 euros per pair.
