In this project Isaac Monté and In4Art will collaborate to create Prosthetic X. They found each other in the fascination for healthy aging and the increasing need to design and enable interaction to combat loneliness. It is inspired by the concept of ‘inner beauty’ from the research project ‘Art of Deception’ by Isaac Monté and Toby Kiers and will extrapolate these thoughts to the outer body. Prosthetic X envisions to be a platform for various artistic devices to empower the elderly generation. It will experiment with unusual, new materials and will combine technology, science and art.
Synopsis Prosthetic X
We are all aging, but how do we want to age? And what do we need to age not only healthy, but also beautifully, feeling cherished and valued. Human life expectancy is increasing and this results in challenges related to healthy aging. In this project, Prosthetic X, we will show how health and wellbeing will be shaped in our machine-human era. It is focused on the aging process, and it aims at giving purpose, self-esteem and empowerment to the aging population. We will enhance the body and redefine the meaning and perception of the concept of beauty.
Prosthetic X (r)evolves around a platform, an artificial ‘aura’ organ that interferes with our headspace. It will accommodate various prosthetics (plug-ins) that will respond and adapt in real time to our inner health and social interactions. Non- invasive health tracking tools will give us insight into social, mental and physical health. It will empower empathy, celebrate knowledge and life experience by combatting 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.
Background
This project offers a (speculative) vision of how the body can achieve “optimum” beauty, combining scientific insights, technological possibilities and a discourse on aesthetic and ethical assumptions.
In Prosthetic X, we question how the future of the aging body can be shaped to improve the quality of life. It will be investigated on three levels:
1) Influence of social interaction; wisdom/ network/ relationships
2) Influence of external stimuli; UV, air quality, electromagnetic radiation
3) Influence of internal stimuli; E-Health tracking data
Prosthetic X refers to a platform, which for now is called the artificial “data- aura” organ. This will be a technological organ that is strongly reminiscent of a natural organ, with prostheses that serve as aesthetic indicators for the functioning or non-functioning of the body.
We identified 9 locations related to aging to which the 9 prostheses can be connected. The prosthetics will be a series of body extensions that live, breathe, move and change colour, like the organs in our body. They change by responding to data retrieved from the 3 levels of analysis.
To create the prosthetics, experiments will be conducted with smart materials, breathable membranes, kinetic structures, light-sensitive inks and materials, heat-sensitive inks and materials, air-moving materials, liquids and other non-invasive techniques like health tracking devices.
Next to the objects, also a Data Donation Register (DaDoR) is developed in which a ‘user centered terms of service’ is created. 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.
Furthermore, we are taking the first steps in developing a realistic wearable as a spin-off of Prosthetic X. We call this development VYX and we are partly exploring it through the S+t+ARTS in Motion program.
A collaborative effort
To really empower, enhance relationships and show new opportunities of interaction with the Prosthetic X, collaborations will be key. At the moment, we are reaching out to scientific, technological and also presentation partners to enrich the project, experiment and create awareness and opportunities to demonstrate the concept and interact with various audiences and stakeholders.
This project is generously supported by SIDNfonds and Creative Industries Fund NL
Early prototypes of Prosthetic X were researched and developed in the context of 3×3 at V2_
We opened an instagram account to update you on the progress.
Click here for more background, video’s and images
