Sensory Twist
PROJECT BACKGROUND
People with autism or other chronic diseases generally are prone to sensory physical and disorders. They are particularly sensitive or insensitive to light, colour, sound, touch, etc. and hence, their daily lives are greatly affected. Realising that good designs help improve lives, Hong Kong Design Institute students join hands with special needs members and occupational therapists from St James’ Settlement to co-design and co-create several innovative and appealing furniture and healthcare equipment to bring positive life changes.
PROJECT CONCEPT
Autistic people unusually have delicate sensory systems and tend to experience sensory overload. It occurs when one or more of the body's senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment including sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. This augmented reality (AR) installation allows the general public to experience the over-simulation from the environment undergone by autistic people. Visual and sound simulations are added to a live view so that participants can look through the eyes of an autistic person and hear what they hear in reality. Through this AR experience, it is hoped that the general public could have a better understanding and show greater empathy towards autistic people.