Ingestible Sensors as Design Material for Bodily Play

Abstract

Ingestible sensors are pill-like digital sensors performing sensing functions inside the human body. Such technology is becoming increasingly common in clinical uses. However, we believe there exists an opportunity to also investigate ingestible sensors as design material for bodily play to facilitate intriguing bodily experiences. This argument is inspired by a long history of utilizing the intersection of medical technologies and play to bring about intriguing bodily experiences. By designing and investigating the user experience of three playful systems around ingestible sensors, we articulate a preliminary framework showing how ingestible sensors can be used as design material to support the design of playful bodily experiences.