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02 process

Process

Ideation & Sketches

Concept: Ecological Memory Through Wearable Sensing

This wearable project explores the relationship between the body, vegetation, and environmental perception. Inspired by the concept of environmental generational amnesia, the project investigates how urbanization progressively disconnects humans from ecological systems.

The wearable was developed as a speculative and interactive interface capable of translating vegetal signals into bodily sensations. Inspired by biological adaptability and distributed sensing systems found in nature, the project combines biomimicry, environmental sensing, wearable electronics, and responsive feedback.

The system detects signals associated with vegetation — such as green intensity, chlorophyll reflectance, and environmental conditions — and transforms them into:

  • Light pulsations
  • Soft body vibrations
  • Breathing-like luminous responses

The more vegetation surrounding the user, the more "alive" the wearable becomes.

This first ideation phase focused on imagining how the body could become an expanded ecological interface, capable of sensing environmental presence through wearable technology.

Electronic Prototyping & Connectivity

To create real-time interaction between the environment and the wearable, I prototyped a distributed electronic system using ESP8266 WiFi modules, environmental sensors, NeoPixels, and haptic actuators.

The wearable system allows:

  • Environmental data transmission in real time
  • Modular sensor scalability
  • Distributed body feedback through light and vibration

The system architecture includes:

  • ESP8266 communication modules
  • Environmental sensing nodes
  • NeoPixel feedback systems
  • Vibration motors for haptic response
  • Wearable power management systems

The goal of this stage was to create an interactive wearable capable of translating environmental conditions into immediate bodily experiences.

componentes Figure 2:ESP8266 communication module

ESP8266 Setup

Open Arduino IDE and configure the ESP8266 board manager by going to:

File → Preferences

Then paste the following into the Additional Boards Manager URLs field:

http://arduino.esp8266.com/versions/2.3.0/package_esp8266com_index.json

Next, go to:

Tools → Board → Board Manager

Search for:

ESP8266 by ESP8266 Community

and install it. Then select:

NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP-12E Module)

under Tools → Board → ESP8266 Modules, and finally select the correct serial port.

You can now upload code to the ESP8266 module successfully.

Wireless Communication Between Environmental Sensors and Wearable

The wearable uses WiFi communication to exchange environmental data between sensing modules and wearable feedback systems.

Environmental conditions detected remotely are translated into:

  • Color changes
  • Body vibration
  • Environmental feedback loops

This creates a real-time relationship between ecological sensing and bodily perception.