Posted on Sat 12 Apr 2025
Meeting Points: Electronic textiles and making interactive talking beings
Exploring e-textiles in creating the first interactive talking beings

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Nat Whitney
Nat Whitney is an audio-visual participatory artist working with creative technologies to construct interactive, sensory objects and spaces that invite curiosity and play. Intrigued by social interaction and the interplay between chance and control, their practice delves into how physical computing…Project

Meeting Points: exploring playful futuristic communication systems through tactile multi-sensory beings
Meeting points is an inquiry into how approaches to connecting with ourselves, our surroundings and each other are evolving in the digital age.After the work-in-progress sharing at the residency, I returned to my sketchbook to reflect on what I had learned from creating the initial textile samples. I started thinking about how to bring these materials together and begin shaping the first interactive, talking beings. I aimed to approach the making process in the same open-ended way I had approached the research. Rather than starting with a fixed plan for each being, I allowed their forms and interactions to evolve naturally as I made them.
Being 1
The first being was created before the work-in-progress sharing and was my initial attempt to combine two types of interaction-activated voices through touch and/or squeeze. The shape and colour choices ended up evoking strong anatomical connotations, which were not originally intended. I felt, however, that it was important to include this first being in the sharing event as It was my first attempt at combining multiple, more personally responsive interactions in a soft tactile form, marking an important step in the process.
Being 2
A new being to emerge was a red and white striped (slightly irregular) cylinder, with an embroidered surface pattern inspired by schematics from a zine detailing the history of a local telephone exchange-turned-artist studio. It features four soft-touch sensors, allowing its voice to be activated and altered through touch. As I continue to develop it, the next step is to embed surface transducers inside. These will add subtle vibrations and shift the source of the sound to the centre of the being, creating a more accessible interaction and giving it a more alive, responsive presence.
Being 3
This being is a soft ball covered in irregular blue and white circular shapes of fabric, stitching and knitting. This being speaks through squeezing the centre or stretching any of the knitted and textured ribbon loops.
Being 4
The fourth being takes the shape of a bean, with three felted pebble-like forms on its surface in varying shades of green. This being has several things to say on touching any of the pebble-like shapes or on gently squeezing the centre.
Being 5
The final being created before the sharing event was a knitted, stretched oval shape. This being will speak on touching parts of the surface or when hugged.
Whilst making, I placed much more emphasis on the functionality of the forms. I focused on how to connect and insulate different conductive elements, and how to create pockets to house microphones, rather than prioritising the aesthetic design. At the same time, I explored new craft techniques and materials to expand my range of tools to create tactile interfaces.
I really enjoyed working in a way that was not so focused on the final outcome. However, this approach did lead to moments where I was not entirely satisfied with the appearance of certain aspects of the beings. Even so, I feel that focusing on function, materiality, and craft techniques was a valuable choice, particularly whilst being within a supportive environment where sharing works-in-progress is welcomed and encouraged.