This paper summarizes the artistic concepts underlying the design of tendrils, a responsive kinetic wearable art-work in the form of an interactive garment. The design process of tendrils is based in artistic exploration influenced by the somatic turn: an approach to designing for experience using embodied practice. Based on a somaesthetic framework for the design of expressive interaction [1], tendrils emphasizes four main concepts, 1) the experience of the sensory self, 2) design for poetics of interaction, 3) materiality based in soft-circuit design as well as the sensory materiality of the body, and 4) the computational semantics that supports sensory input and response through touch, both locally on the garment and collectively through iphone/ipod touch interaction. The tendrils artwork is described in terms of its concept, aesthetics and execution.

This paper describes the artistic design concepts for the interactive wearable artworks tendrils and exhale exhibited at ACM Multimedia 2010 Interactive Art Program in Firenze Italy at the at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi from 25 October through 6 November, 2010. These wearable art works are based in artistic exploration influenced by the somatic turn: an approach to designing for experience using body based practices that highlight the concept of somaesthetics as an approach to the design of expressive interaction. The interactive wearable art installations tendrils and exhale emphasize the experience of self-observation, poetics, materiality, and computational semantics that support sensory input such as touch and breath. In the context of interaction, somaesthetics offers a bridging strategy between embodied practices based in somatics, and the design for an aesthetics of interaction in wearable technology. These artworks illustrate the value of exploring artistic design strategies that employ a somaesthetic approach, and exemplify this approach in the design of a networked, wearable interactive art.

'nite_aura' has been developed as both an artistic work and an instrument for research into immersive environments. 'nite_aura' is an audio-visual, interactive installation exploring physical motion within an alternative immersive environment. The enchantment of the night's sky has inspires flights of imagination and whispered wishes in humans of all ages. 'nite_aura' embodies these memories and experiences allowing for visitors to whisper to the air and play with fields of stars surrounding them in an interactive immersive art installation focusing on sensual and physical interaction. The work investigates the effect of the texture of space, light and sound in providing a comforting, relaxing, and meditative quality of immersion.

The Meatbook, an interactive art installation, explores the use of a novel tangible interface to provoke a visceral response in the viewer. The Meatbook presents the symbiosis of the mechanical and the organic as it simultaneously juxtaposes the conflicting materiality of these media. Sensors, motors and other mechanics are used to animate the meat, generating movements specifically designed to produce visceral, even cathartic responses from the user. By simultaneously generating revulsion and fascination, the user undergoes an embodied experience in which the alien and the familiar come together in the form of a book.