Caress of the Gaze: A Gaze Actuated 3D Printed Body Architecture

Abstract

This paper describes the design process behind Caress of the Gaze, a project that represents a new approach to the design of a gaze-actuated, 3D printed body architecture—as a form of proto-architectural study—providing a framework for an interactive dynamic design. The design process engages with three main issues. Firstly, it aims to look at form or geometry as a means of controlling material behavior by exploring the tectonic properties of multi-material 3D printing technologies. Secondly, it addresses novel actuation systems by using Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) in order to achieve life-like behavior. Thirdly, it explores the possibility of engaging with interactive systems by investigating how our clothing could interact with other people as a primary interface, using vision-based eye-gaze tracking technologies. In so doing, this paper describes a radically alternative approach not only to the production of garments but also to the ways we interact with the world around us. Therefore, the paper addresses the emerging field of shape-changing 3D printed structures and interactive systems that bridge the worlds of robotics, architecture, technology, and design.