Nautilus is a wearable prosthetic that allows the wearer to turn inwards. Similar to Monarch, Nautilus augments how we express emotion through technological and material extensions of body language. While Monarch communicates outwardly assertive tones, Nautilus is designed to communicate a more introverted state of mind. The prototype consists of a large pleated hood that raises and expands in size to cover the wearer’s head.
While in the downward positions the hood rests on the wearer’s back. The hood is made from a pleated textile that collapses onto itself into a relatively compressed form. When the user tilts their head forward the hood expands to cover the wearer’s head and isolate them from their surroundings. The intent of the prototype is to give the user a sensation of being calm and protected.
Nautilus employs a technical and material approach that is similar to the one used for Monarch. The EMG sensors are attached to the back of the neck high in the wearer’s shoulders. The sensors send a signal to two high torque servos on the garments shoulder straps that actuate the movement of the hood.
This prototype is a part of the series Prosthetic Technologies of Being.