The hipdiskettes: Learning (through) wearables

Physically engaging wearable interfaces offer a new means of self-expression. They help us move beyond our reliance on linguistics by supporting more open, dynamic and fluid forms of expression that are pre-verbal, that originate in the body. Our research suggests that they also present untapped potential for learning about how different people learn. We investigate this idea through the learning process of the hipdiskettes, a group of performers working with the hipDisk wearable musical interface. Examples from the initial rehearsal periods are presented, noting the learning affordances provided by the interface, learning supports provided by the developer, and the different needs and approaches over time of the performers. Investigating learning was not the focus of the hipDisk research yet outcomes suggest that a consideration of how different people learn through, and about, their bodies is beneficial to the development of physically engaging wearables.