Pneumatic wearable prototype displayed on a black mannequin neck. Translucent silicone branches connect to soft, white balloon-like forms, suggesting an air-inflated system for tactile interaction.

Breathform

Reimagining feedback through air and slow, pneumatic motion.

Reimagining feedback through air and slow, pneumatic motion.

Pneumatic wearable prototype displayed on a black mannequin neck. Translucent silicone branches connect to soft, white balloon-like forms, suggesting an air-inflated system for tactile interaction.

Breathform

Reimagining feedback through air and slow, pneumatic motion.

Reimagining feedback.

What if wearables could use air to set boundaries?

What if wearables could use air to set boundaries?

What if wearables could use air to set boundaries?

We set out to explore how air, an invisible, intangible element, might express presence and emotion. Inspired by coral structures and their slow, responsive growth, we asked: What if that kind of reactive expansion could signal personal space in a gentle, ambient way?

We set out to explore how air, an invisible, intangible element, might express presence and emotion. Inspired by coral structures and their slow, responsive growth, we asked: What if that kind of reactive expansion could signal personal space in a gentle, ambient way?

We set out to explore how air, an invisible, intangible element, might express presence and emotion. Inspired by coral structures and their slow, responsive growth, we asked: What if that kind of reactive expansion could signal personal space in a gentle, ambient way?

Prototyping softness.

We began with a generative Grasshopper model using Kangaroo and DLA scripts to simulate coral-like growth. After iterating on form, we 3D printed the structure in elastic resin and designed it to rest along the collarbone. A distance sensor and pneumatic pump controlled its inflation, responding subtly when someone entered the wearer’s space. Over several iterations, we refined its shape and airflow to balance flexibility, responsiveness, and comfort.

We began with a generative Grasshopper model using Kangaroo and DLA scripts to simulate coral-like growth. After iterating on form, we 3D printed the structure in elastic resin and designed it to rest along the collarbone. A distance sensor and pneumatic pump controlled its inflation, responding subtly when someone entered the wearer’s space. Over several iterations, we refined its shape and airflow to balance flexibility, responsiveness, and comfort.

We began with a generative Grasshopper model using Kangaroo and DLA scripts to simulate coral-like growth. After iterating on form, we 3D printed the structure in elastic resin and designed it to rest along the collarbone. A distance sensor and pneumatic pump controlled its inflation, responding subtly when someone entered the wearer’s space. Over several iterations, we refined its shape and airflow to balance flexibility, responsiveness, and comfort.

Hand-drawn system diagram of the pneumatic wearable. It shows the branching structure attached to an air pump, solenoid valve, battery, and microcontroller labeled “Photon.” Notes indicate 3D printing using Elastic 50A resin.
Breadboard circuit connected to two DC pumps and a Photon microcontroller. Below it, a hand-drawn circuit diagram shows how the components are wired to control airflow using transistors.

Early sketches and circuit logic.

Screenshot of a branching tree structure created in Rhino and Grasshopper. Bright green lines and nodes form an organic, root-like layout on a grid background.

Grasshopper simulation using Kangaroo for reactive coral-like growth.

A post-processing station with a Formlabs resin printer glowing blue as soft pneumatic components are cured. The transparent parts inside show faint outlines of organic forms.
Close-up of transparent 3D-printed resin tubes used for pneumatic branches, placed on a scratched metal surface.
Hand holding the nozzle of a yellow latex balloon sealed with a clear plastic valve and orange rubber band. Part of the pneumatic actuation mechanism.
Close-up of a pneumatic soft robotic branch attached to a small white air pump. A hand holds the device upright on a lab bench surrounded by wires and tools.

3D printed prototype: testing air channels and inflation responsiveness.

Person wearing a hoodie with multiple translucent pneumatic branches attached to the shoulders and chest. Some balloon tips are inflated, showing the wearable in partial use.

Near-final wearable form designed to rest gently on the collarbone.

Experiencing the boundary.

The final prototype was a soft, inflatable wearable that expanded gently in response to proximity: an ambient signal rather than a warning. Instead of buzzing, flashing, or vibrating, the motion was slow and bodily. It asked what it means to assert a boundary without aggression. I’m curious how ambient, non-verbal feedback might support people who experience sensory overwhelm or anxiety in social settings, creating space without confrontation.

The final prototype was a soft, inflatable wearable that expanded gently in response to proximity: an ambient signal rather than a warning. Instead of buzzing, flashing, or vibrating, the motion was slow and bodily. It asked what it means to assert a boundary without aggression. I’m curious how ambient, non-verbal feedback might support people who experience sensory overwhelm or anxiety in social settings, creating space without confrontation.

The final prototype was a soft, inflatable wearable that expanded gently in response to proximity: an ambient signal rather than a warning. Instead of buzzing, flashing, or vibrating, the motion was slow and bodily. It asked what it means to assert a boundary without aggression. I’m curious how ambient, non-verbal feedback might support people who experience sensory overwhelm or anxiety in social settings, creating space without confrontation.

Pneumatic wearable prototype displayed on a black mannequin neck. Translucent silicone branches connect to soft, white balloon-like forms, suggesting an air-inflated system for tactile interaction.

Final prototype in action: the wearable expands softly in response to proximity, signaling a need for space.

MADE WITH

Grasshopper, Arduino, 3D modeling, 3D printing, pneumatic pump, interaction prototyping

TEAM

Divya Srinivasan
Shameemah Fuseini-Codjoe

A fluid, evolving little corner of the internet, designed by Shameemah in Spline and Framer. © 2025