Prosthetic X

Prosthetic X is an artificial data organ, which reflects on how might we increase health and beauty on the outside of our bodies. It showcases different prosthetics, which give intuitive, non-invasive feedback, to stimulate a preventive health lifestyle through providing insight into internal, external and social health parameters.

DETAILS

PESETABS

NEWS

Domain

Health

Theme

Healthy aging

So Data Donor Register

Ar Speculative art installation

Sc Intuitive feedback system

Data Donor Register

A codicil to enable user-centred terms of service to empower data ownership.

Speculative art installation

An art installation, existing of a speculative scenario movie and 10 interactive prosthetic objects, that change form, shape and colour.
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Intuitive feedback system

VYX: a low-tech, intuitive wearable device that gives control over skin’s exposure to UV, vitamin D uptake, and vitality while stimulating social interaction.

Details

Artificial data organ

Artificial data organ

Artificial Data Organ

Prosthetic X is a technological “artificial data organ” that is strongly reminiscent of a natural organ, with prostheses that serve as aesthetic indicators for the functioning or non-functioning of (parts of) the body.

It consists of a platform around the head and hands to which 9 prostheses can be connected, which respond and adapt in real time to our inner health, external condition and social interactions. A series of body extensions that live, breathe, move and change colour, like the organs in our body.

They change by responding to personal social data, health data and external measurements. In addition, there is a tenth prosthesis: the exo-organ, which can stand with a loved one or caregiver. This indicates the “status” of the other nine, allowing dedicated others to gain insight into the health of the wearer from a distance.

“ Prosthetic X speculates how non-invasive health tracking tools will give us insight into social, mental and physical health. It empowers empathy, celebrates knowledge and combats the threat of loneliness, isolation and health conditions for an aging population. The shadows of aging will fade away and unleash a new beauty ideal. “

VIDEOS PLAYLIST

Placement overview

Research into 2030

Welcome in the year 2030…

In Europe, over a quarter of society consists of people above 60 years – the ‘silver’ population. Luckily, they are able to age healthy and beautifully. They live increasingly more independent and secure at home, avoid, delay or reduce hospitalization and are able to better socialize and participate in society.

Our environment is increasingly wired, sensor-filled and digital health has become a lifestyle and therefore it dictates new beauty standards. Beauty that reflects, evidence-based, how one’s health is, while empowering with vital signs to change behavior or get access to care.

Isn’t it beautiful, that aging goes along with a new beauty standard? And with expectations that 120 years will be easily achieved, you are with 60 only halfway. Giving the second half of your life a new look, while monitoring health to feel healthy.

To facilitate this, Prosthetic X is envisioned to be a widely adopted artificial organ. It is an assistive technology that plays a role in supporting people both in terms of active aging and in relation to coping with failing health by providing early warnings.

Just like taking care of a flower, you take care of your prosthetic. And with the attention and reaction it gets, it glooms, flowers and prospers. Same counts for our new beauty ideal on age: with age comes wisdom and the body glooms and prospers.

As in nature, like animals show their warnings/ attraction and hide skills, each Prosthetic can change shape, surface and color to signal, processing the users data in real time.

The Data Donor Register

We foresee imminent questions on the ownership and use of (health) data in our digital-driven society. The Data Donor Register (DaDoR) is developed to provide data ownership for the users of Prosthetic X. However, the DaDoR has value on its own and is broader applicable towards wearables and IoT devices.

● Value of DATA

Data can be used for good and bad. It strongly depends on who uses the data and for which purpose. Because of this, it’s crucial that you are well informed and can give meaningful consent about where the data is ging, for which purpose and for which time-span. Why accept free personal data usag as a reality of life? Personal data is an asset with value.

It is important to take into consideration when developing ‘data gathering devices’ where the data-ownership is located and how the data is treated. To do so in a responsible way, the data should be owned by the user.

Therefore, a wearable/ IoT device should not own your data and should be programmed in such a way that misuse of data is impossible.

● Age of consent

You, the user, own your data, and you decide what purpose it will serve. The DaDoR supports you in defining your own, personal, terms of service. It gives you the power to truly decide what data you wish to share and with whom. The consent will be periodically renewed or confirmed.

● Data Donor Options

Data collected by your wearable is valuable to you as well as to others.

For yourself, it can act as an early warning for ill health. For your family, it can put them at ease knowing you are both happy and healthy. For your doctors and caretakers, it can help them optimise diagnosis and treatment. For researchers, it can lead to new insights and knowledge. Finally, for commercial companies it can mean targeted marketing and improved algorithms. Therefore, your data is of great value and it is important to be able to choose who receives access to your data in life and in death.

● Register

The Data Donor Register assures that you are the data owner of all collected data through smart, connected devices. As a data doner, you give consent regarding the type, purpose and conditions of data donation. You decide who can access and decide how long the data can be stored.

Hence, the Data Donor Register enables informed consent on data sharing. It defines the data donation rules and provides a legal framework to create user centred terms of service, in which the user is empowered to change its choice at any moment.

VYX: Intuitive feedback system

We started with a question – how to contribute to good health and well-being, in an inclusive, empowering, and responsible way?

VYX combines the insights from Prosthetic X on an holistic, integrated approach to health. It shows that with today’s technology, it is possible to generate a new type of interactive interface: intuitive, non-screen based feedback giving the user real-time control on how to live a preventive lifestyle. No apps or screens needed.

“Prevention is key for a healthy and beautiful lifestyle”

● VYX Prototype

VYX should be a low-tech, intuitive wearable device that empowers healthy and beautiful aging. VYX gives control over your skin’s exposure to UV, vitamin D uptake, and vitality while stimulating social interaction.

Entering the ‘silver era’ means we will have to rethink the way we age, what implications a growing aging population has on our healthcare system, and how can we age in healthy and beautiful ways.

Let us give you some facts
– never have so many people suffered from skin cancer, being in the top lists of type of cancer. – – 97% of the population does not create enough vitamin D, leading to losing bone mass, muscle strength, and hair, mood changes, increased chance of cancer and heart disease, and more. They are unaware of their deficiency and lack incentives to change their behaviour.
– Each human body is unique and processes vitamin D from UV or supplementation differently.

VYX should serve as the preventive, aesthetical indicator for the functioning of (parts of) our body. It reacts when the wearer is within or outside the safe zone of healthy sunlight, important for vitamin D intake, while warning for too much UV exposure. It stimulates going outside in a safe manner and incentivizes the wearer to take the recommended number of steps. VYX is a device to monitor vitality and stimulate active living by means of gamification.

Safety, user and design requirements for VYX:

1) inflatable membrane indicating amount of steps: we work with intuitive feedback/ soft interfaces – non- screen based and non-invasive (mix electric and mechanic)
2) vitamin D indicator, based on an intake for calibration to set the right parameters per skin type
3) UV exposure warning light + vibration
4) interchangeable coloured band indicating personal interests
5) a modular, safe and eco-conscious design in material, battery and manufacturing, making it demountable for repair (design for recycling)
6) designed for aging population, taking into account sensory inclusiveness

Workshop

To convey the research and discussion topics within Prosthetic X, we have developed several workshops and keynotes:

human machine interaction & human enhancement
purposeful data & embedding internet of things data privacy
healthy ageing and beauty

The workshop formats have been researched and developed in the context of 3×3 at V2_

Workshop modules

Artist/s

Isaac Monté

Isaac Monté focuses on social sustainability, material design and scientific research. He is interested in unusual, new materials and he can manipulate those. He acts as a pioneer who, by means of combining technology, art and science explores and shows how art can contribute to the development of sustainability.

Exhibitions

The work has been exhibited at:

2020 ■ V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media (NL – Rotterdam)
2021 ■ The Grey Space in The Middle (NL – the Hague)
2022 ■ Mediamatic(NL – Amsterdam)
2023 ■ Bozar (BE – Brussels)
2024 ■ Living Looonger at Nemo De Studio (NL – Amsterdam)
2024 ■ Superpower Design at CID (BE, Hornu)

Gallery

Partners

The prosthetics are made interactive with the help of technology and programming expert Léon Spek / The videos are made in collaboration with NOBS / The photos of the prosthetics are made by Studio Monté / Early prototypes of Prosthetic X were developed in the context of 3X3 at V2_Lab for the Unstable Media / We collaborated with the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen on the research

Duration

2019 – 2022

Investment

€125.000

Credits

This project is supported by SIDNfonds. SIDN fund stands for a strong internet for everyone. The fund supports projects with social added value that contribute to a stronger internet and strong internet users, or that use the internet in an innovative way for our society. They supported the development of the Data Donor Register.

Isaac Monté is also supported by Creative Industries Fund NL to realise the installation. The first test was supported by and took place at V2_Lab for the Unstable Media.