Zhan Qu

Zhan Qu is an interdisciplinary designer who focuses on combining the aesthetic, materials and programmable properties (interactive algorithm) of smart textiles for wearables that support inclusivity. She seeks to expand the dimensions of movement and explore the effect on body sensations and develop user-friendly wearable electronic textiles for performance, well-being and health-care applications.

Zhan aims to expand access to dance, especially for the disabled, through her work on embedded actuation whilst adopting new technologies to broaden people’s sensations. She also wishes to redesign bodies and break down barriers through the use of technology in intelligent textile design. Specifically, she wishes to open access to dance to the disabled. Her ideas are ground-breaking, challenging as they do society’s prejudices and norms.

2020 Bronze award of Yinger International Fashion Design Prize in China.

Beyond machinery - kinaesthetic awareness in interactive dance

Through her work, Zhan developed a wearable kinaesthetic system that integrates sensors and circuitry into wearable knitted clothing. The system is designed to allow audience members to ‘feel’ dance onstage, communicating the ‘flow’, the ‘direction’ and the ‘movement’ of the dancers to those audience members who may be disabled or unable to engage in such athletic dance routines.

The wearable system connects dancers with their audience, the able-bodied with the disabled. Through sophisticated technology, it shares the ‘feeling’ of dance with those unable to dance. As a result, the idea is to encourage inclusivity, stimulate potential and broaden possibilities for choreography and audience participation.

This project had a profound impact in terms of redesigning bodies and breaking down barriers through the use of technology in intelligent textile design. Specifically, from an empathetic design angle, how to build a kinaesthetic awareness in the interactive system which is open access to dance to the disabled, and challenging as they do society’s prejudices and norms.

I built on a live motion signal replication system which involved two interconnected devices, one to capture EMG sensors for dancers, and one to replicate the signals via an EMS impulse stimulator aiming to create body sensation for users (audience).

Embedded Interactive System - User

Embedded Interactive System - Dancer

The system process aims to connect dancers with their audience, the able-bodied with the disabled. Through sophisticated technology like EMG sensory feedback, ergonomics, algorithms, and AI technology.

It aims to share the ‘feeling’ of dance with those unable to dance. As a result, it hopes to encourage inclusivity, stimulate potential and broaden possibilities.

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Real human size

Vision for how the aesthetic has developed., media item 1

Vision for how the aesthetic has developed., media item 2

Vision for how the aesthetic has developed., media item 3

Vision for how the aesthetic has developed., media item 4

This would use integrated techniques of circuity into wearable knitted clothing. It would stimulate a new haptic perception of dance, built around the concept of ‘unconventional visuals’ dancing. Consider how the aesthetic has developed? I seek to also consider the embodied emotional attachment and association with textiles.

Enhancing psychotherapeutic activities (Depression); Stroke or Disabled medical/rehabilitation guidance. In order to reveal new aspects of human behaviours for sensations, embodied, and social experiences.

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Real human size

3D Modeling Algorithms Interaction Knit Technique Textiles

Application Scenarios

Wearable Prototype System

I built a communication interactive algorithm system and took those biometric readings from the muscles and transferred them into a computer programme. I have tested the system on a dancer, whilst also making a film with dancers and received feedback on my prototype in terms of capturing muscle motion track.

In terms of the dancer's aspect, the suitability of currently wearable technology to aid dancer's performances, from the non-normative body aspect to explore more possibilities. So this is a prospective study of creating a wearable prototype, especially exploring the body intelligence meets textiles intelligence.

Size:

Real human size

3D Modeling Artificial Intelligence dance Interaction Movement Narration / Storytelling

Zhan Qu

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Royal College of Art