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| Experiment 1: Wooden Hand |
Super Prosthetics Project is about exploring
armwear as an object of empowerment, choice and identity. The purpose
was to conduct a series of creative experiments to challenge current
ideas of prosthetics and explore what a wearer might choose to create in
that space if he or she could have any functionality or aesthetic.
The project has been conducted at the Royal
Collage of Art in London by Becky Pilditch and with the help of Holly
Franklin. It has been developed in conversation with individuals who
wear and make prosthetics limbs and the blog has been created to make
the process visible for those who wish to share ideas and continue
dialogue on the subject.
Each experiment took the form of an object,
created for Holly to wear and critique in a public space. The final
result was a repertoire of objects that explored the relationship
between Holly, her hands and her peers, for the purposes of positive
social interaction.
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| Experiment 2: Ceramic Hand |
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| Experiment 3: Bejewelled Hook; rhinestone and silver |
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| Experiment 4: Leather Palm |
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| Experiment 5: Glass hand; resin |
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| Experiment 6: Transparent Fingertips; cherry wood and resin |
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| Experiment 7: Hand Puppetry; wood, nylon and steel |
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| Experiment 8: Gestural Hand Series; maple, balsa, nylon and steel (final hand) |
Universal and inclusive thinking, as applicable
to all disciplines, is an integral part of the design process. When a product is designed inclusively, it
not only provides access to those with various limitations, but also provides
everyone with the opportunity to interact.
Our cultures and communities thrive on human interaction and
communication; our senses playing an integral role in informing the ways in
which we interact and formulate discussions with one another. As a designer, I seek to be a vehicle for
communicating the stories of vulnerable people.
Through a process of observational research I have come to understand a
small taste of the diverse ways in which people with varying limitations communicate
with one another. Whether this is
through the use of sign language, braille, a Dynavox, or an article of computer
aided technology, each of these tools share both a functional and aesthetic
value. Through
exploring the integration of sculpture, technology, and jewellery I hope to
develop a series of meaningful studies that will contribute to the development
of wearable communication devices. 
