Haptika is a set of DIY wearable technology kits designed to mitigate the effects of sexual and physical abuse. Survivors of abuse can possibly contradict the physiological and psychological effects of violence through self employed haptic touch experiences with interactive interfaces and expressive feedback. Through this potential access, creation, and adaptation of these DIY tools, survivors can re-establish a visceral sense of embodiment and empowerment thus contradicting the helplessness and fragmentation of trauma. Haptika aims to transform the landscape of therapeutic tools.

The SomaPhonic Glove kit gradually challenges the user to work with multiple sense points and introduces audio as a mechanism for remix and redefinition. The kit uses copper tape to sense when certain points are in contact with skin. This kit has been designed to allow for each finger to act like an instrument by triggering different sounds or audio samples. The purpose of this project is to redefine trauma landmarks on the body by revisiting these places and remapping the trauma-infused cartography.This project aims to equip the user with the means to RE-Member places on their body that could trigger trauma flashbacks. The project allows the user to be empowered to change the meaning of this place by making it an instrument for play and exploration, all the while practicing established embodied practices such as tapping and intentional gesture.

Haptika.co

Step 1: Supplies

BEFORE GETTING STARTED

Download Arduino – Arduino is the open source software we will use to program these kits to do the cool things we want them to do! The code provided with the kit is a starter sample so that your kit works as intended but you are encouraged to learn, play, experiment and remix all you want!

1 x Glove – you can find these for a couple dollars at almost any retail store or if you are like me, you have a bunch of non-matching gloves in different crevices of my dresser.
1 x Wire Cutter

2 x Breadboard (purchase)
1 x ProMicro
1 x Piezo
1 x Capacitive Sense Breakout
7 Wires
5 jumper wires
1 x Copper Tape

Step 2: PLACE THE CAPACITIVE SENSE BREAKOUT (CSB) INTO THE BREADBOARD

Step 3: PLACE THE PROMICRO INTO THE BREADBOARD AND PLACE THE PIEZO INTO THE TOP RIGHT HOLES.

Step 4: WIRE THE PIEZO

Note that this on this piezo either pin can be ground or data, so choose whichever

1 Black Wire from the ProMicro GND to the Piezo Ground Pin
1 Green Wire from the ProMicro 9 to the Piezo Data Pin

Step 5: WIRE THE CAPACITIVE SENSE BREAKOUT

1 Black Wire from the CSB GND
1 Blue Wire from the CSB SDA
1 Blue Wire from the CSB SCL
1 Blue Wire from the CSB IRQ
1 Red Wire from the CSB 3.3V

Step 6: ATTACH THE CSB TO THE PROMICRO

1 Black Wire from the CSB GND to ProMicro GND
1 Blue Wire from the CSB SDA to ProMicro 2
1 Blue Wire from the CSB SCL to ProMicro 3
1 Blue Wire from the CSB IRQ to ProMicro 5
1 Red Wire from the CSB 3.3V to ProMicro 3.3V

Step 7: ATTACH JUMPER WIRES TO FINGER TIPS WITH COPPER TAPE

While wearing the glove (to ensure best fit), wrap some copper tape around your finger. You want the wire tip to lay flat agains the tape you just wrapped around your finger so that the end result will be the wire tip attached to your finger between layers of tape. Take the metal tip of either end of the wire and hold it against the tip of your finger with the tape wrapped around it. While doing that, begin to wrap the copper tape around the wire tip, wrapping it tightly to the first layer of tape. This can be a bit of an awkward process to do without someone else’s help but it absolutely can be done. You want the tip to be completely covered on both the bottom side and the top side. Do not go overboard with the layers by adding 10 layers to where the metal tip is, because it will dampen the sensing point. Do, however, feel free to move upwards and downwards with wrapping the tape to provide the wire more structure as seen in the photo.

Step 8: ATTACH THE TWO BREADBOARDS TO THE GLOVE

On the top side of the glove, attach the breadboards by peeling off the sticker on the bottom and sticking them to the glove. For added attachment, go ahead and sew on some velcro. Make sure that the CSB the one closest to the fingertips

Step 9: WIRE FINGERTIPS TO THE CAPACITIVE SENSE BREAKOUT

Starting with the thumb wire, connect it to 1. Do the same with each finger’s wire until they are connected to 1-5.

Step 10: HOW TO PROGRAM YOUR SOMAPHONIC GLOVE

1.) OPEN UP ARDUINO (WHICH YOU DOWNLOADED FROM THE LINK ABOVE)

2.) REPLACE THE CODE IN THE NEW FILE WITH THESE FILES: SOMAPHONICGLOVE_01 (MAIN CODE IS BELOW BUT IT NEEDS THE FILES IN THE ZIP FOLDER TO WORK PROPERLY)

3.) PUT YOUR GLOVE ON AND MAKE SURE THE USB IS PLUGGED INTO THE GLOVE AND YOUR COMPUTER

4.) UPLOAD THE ARDUINO CODE TO YOUR GLOVE