Dahoon Lee

Inner Signals with Low-Tech Translation

Date

02 MAY 2025 08 MAY 2025

Week

Week 2

Unit

Micro UX

Team

Group JJED — Dahoon Lee, I-lin Chang (Ellen), Jiayi Zheng, Jin Wang

Brief

Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.

In short

Focusing on inner bodily signals and synesthesia, the team designed experiments to “translate” one sense into another.
Inspired by low-tech traditions, they created the Elephant’s Trunk to amplify breath and observed users’ emotional responses.
Through interviews and body mapping, we realised how expression formats and researcher framing shape the results.

Synesthesia and the Sense of Self

In the film Ratatouille, Remy experiences a fireworks-like sensation in his mind when tasting food (Disney, 2007).

Dividing into sub-groups under the theme of sensory exploration, our team became interested in the concept of synesthesia—a phenomenon where stimulation of one sense involuntarily triggers another. For example, some may see fireworks when tasting certain foods or physically feel the texture of a painting just by looking at it. Inspired by this, we envisioned an experiment to “translate” one sensory input into another, essentially creating a kind of “sensory translator” that would transform a stimulus from one modality into another.

In our discussions about beauty in everyday life, we also began to focus on the internal senses of the body—such as breath or heartbeat. These are essential for life but often go unnoticed because they are so automatic. We asked ourselves: What if these internal signals could be perceived more vividly? Would that allow us to feel our own existence more consciously? Guided by this idea, we began exploring low-tech methods to amplify internal bodily sensations and externalise them in tangible ways.

Low-Tech Inspiration from Traditional Medicine

One of the key limitations of our project was the requirement to use low technology. To understand how minimal tools might be used to detect bodily changes, we looked into traditional medicine for inspiration.

Case Study: Measuring Bodily Changes with Low-Tech Tools Image Credit: Group JJED

Visual observation of complexion or body areas, auditory examination of chest or abdomen sounds, and tactile pulse reading—as in traditional Korean medicine—offered practical insights. Even taste and smell have historically been used, such as identifying bodily conditions through the scent or flavour of sweat or urine.

Test: “Elephant’s Trunk” — A Tool for Listening to Breath

We began with a simple question: “Can one hear their own breath without digital technology?” Drawing inspiration from the flexible ductwork seen on a building site, I designed a structure connecting the mouth and ear using paper cups. This DIY device—made of several interlinked cups—channels the user's breath back to their own ear, allowing them to listen to it directly. Its shape resembled an elephant's trunk, which became the nickname for the tool.

Early sketch of the breath-listening device. Image Credit: Author

Inspired by structures found at construction sites. Photo Credit: Author

Making process of the breath-listening tool. Photo Credit: Author

Designed to be adjustable. Photo Credit: Author

Prototype of the breath-listening tool “Elephant’s Trunk”. Photo Credit: Author

Participants used the device and then shared their emotional and sensory responses through interviews. Although many initially felt awkward, they gradually became more attuned to their breath. Some even began consciously controlling their breathing or using the device playfully. Imagery evoked included waves, seashells, and grey clouds—mostly drawn from nature. Most participants reported that the experience made them feel “calm and grounded.”

User testing and feedback on the Elephant’s Trunk device. Image Credit: Group JJED

Affinity diagram of user feedback from testing the Elephant’s Trunk device. Image Credit: Group JJED

Feedback & Reflection

This test was not just about evaluating a tool; it became a moment to consider how inner experiences can be effectively collected and shared. Based on feedback, we supplemented interviews with body mapping, allowing participants to visualise their sensations and emotions. Initially, we asked them to distinguish inhale and exhale using separate colours. However, we later realised that such instructions could bias their responses, so we shifted to a freer format, letting participants express themselves however they wished.

Through this test, we learned how significantly method design and interview framing influence the outcome. For future design research or sensory-based projects, we will need to continually reflect on how to minimise researcher bias and encourage genuine, open responses from participants.

Reference