‘There’s more to it than allure...’ – Navigating Socio-cultural Roles of Digital Jewellery

What is it about?

In this work, we look at interactive jewellery in the socio-cultural context. There are a lot of wearable devices available on the market, but they are usually worn because of their functional features rather than social or cultural value. We conducted a participatory workshops with experts discussing the socio-technical dimensions of designing interactive jewellery.

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Photo by Mr.Autthaporn Pradidpong on Unsplash

Photo by Mr.Autthaporn Pradidpong on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Although recent technological advancements allowed for creation small and unobtrusive wearable devices, wearing digital ornaments have not been widely adopted. We try to address this gap by exploring the design space of wearable technology meant to enhance the socio-cultural roles that traditional jewellery has served for centuries. Our findings highlight the importance of allowing for personalisation of digital jewellery items which supports identity-expression. Moreover, we advocate taking an individualised approach to designing for different roles that jewellery can serve.