Do You Have to Pee? a Design Space for Intimate and Somatic Data
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Do You Have to Pee? A Design Space for Intimate and Somatic Data Karey Helms KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden [email protected] ABSTRACT psychological well-being, somaesthetic experiences, social be- The management of bodily excretion is an everyday biological longing, self-efficacy, occupational performance, and sanitary function necessary for our physiological and psychological conditions. Yet despite the prevalence and consequentiality well-being. In this paper, I investigate interaction design op- of excretion in our everyday lives, we are not born with the portunities for and implications of leveraging intimate and ability to manage the disposal of our own waste. From birth, somatic data to manage urination. This is done by detailing a we require guidance from a caretaker until assistance and su- design space that includes (1) a critique of market exemplars, pervision might no longer be required. Often referred to as (2) three conceptual design provocations, and (3) autobio- toilet (or potty) training, this learning process is universally graphical data-gathering and labeling from excretion routines. considered a developmental milestone during which a child To conclude, considerations within the labeling of somatic becomes able to independently and hygienically manage the data, the actuating of bodily experiences, and the scaling of in- disposal of their own excretion [49]. While this might be timate interactions are contributed for designers who develop achievable for many, it is not a final state for everyone, nor data-driven technology for intimate and somatic settings. means that assistance will not be needed again. Yet despite the broad significance of how, when, and where Author Keywords these basic biological functions are attended to, there is min- Intimate and somatic data; bodily excretion; urination; imal design research concerning bodily excretion. This re- research through design; interaction design; criticism search gap might be attributed to the taboo nature of the topic, which for centuries and across cultures has long been associ- CCS Concepts ated with notions of filth, shame, and waste [24], in addition •Human-centered computing ! Interaction design; to the ethical concerns of implementing emerging technolo- gies into such a psychologically and physiologically sensitive INTRODUCTION domain. Furthermore, the individualistic nature of childhood With the increasing prevalence of data informing and reveal- development, idiosyncratic familial practices, and a diversity ing what we do and how we do it, the boundaries of where of cultural norms make it difficult to develop paradigmatic data-driven technologies could and should participate in our solutions when a bespoke intervention might be ideal. Design everyday lives are challenged. One such domain is intimate challenges thus not only concern technology, but span across practices of bodily care, such as human excretion, in which interpersonal, societal, and cultural traditions and fears. designerly concerns extend from how intimate and somatic Therefore, how might designers navigate these challenges and data can be put to use in responsible ways to how it can even engage with highly intimate and unromantic bodily practices be usable for interaction designers to consider and shape. such as excretion? Or rather more specifically, what opportuni- Bodily excretion is an essential and universal metabolic pro- ties exist for leveraging personal data to empower vulnerable cess of human beings. For many of us, "going to the toilet" user groups and caretakers with when, where, and how they might be considered mundane and instinctual, a process of might manage private toilet practices? And when working with waste disposal that we opt to forget or prefer not to consider. sensitive and somatic personal data, what should interaction Yet, as an everyday physiological practice, how and where designers consider regarding the externalization of internal it is attended to has broad implications that extend to our sensations in private as well as social contexts? Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or To explore these questions and ground design work in this classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed under-explored domain, I detail three provocations that predict for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than the when and how badly one has to urinate. While this paper is author(s) must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or not advocating for these conceptual devices, their detailing republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]. and the accompanying design activities forms a broader design DIS ’19, June 23–28, 2019, San Diego, CA, USA space. By following the design progression and more fluidly © 2019 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Publication rights licensed to ACM. moving among representations from process activities, the ISBN 978-1-4503-5850-7/19/06. $15.00 design space reveals and exasperates social tensions, relational DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3322276.3322290 frictions, and interactional loops with smart technology and has been an increasing shift from self-tracking and informatics personal data. In addition to building upon a body of work that to a deepened understanding of our felt bodies [35]. This turn details design processes [51, 65, 52], I contribute opportuni- is particularly salient in somaesthetic design [33] and in the ties for re-conceptualizing bodily excretion and considerations domain of women’s health [1]. A first example of the latter is for designers regarding the externalization of internal sensa- Labella, a connected pair of underwear that supports women tions through data-driven technology. These considerations in exploring their intimate anatomy for reproductive health include the labeling of somatic data, the actuating of bodily and sexual well-being [2]. Also motivated to celebrate rather experiences, and the scaling of intimate interactions. than control changing bodies, Homewood takes a feminist exploration of how data-driven technologies shape identity RELATED WORK and a sense of self [30]. PeriodShare, a design fiction of a This body of work lies within the intersection of designing connected menstrual cup, foregrounds the implicit culture and with data, bodily care and maintenance, and technologies of politics of intimate data-driven technologies through a critical human waste. First, I give a brief overview of the multitude perspective [61]. The politics of bodily care are also empha- of ways of designing with data, including challenges resulting sized in Fox’s work on menstrual resource development that from bringing data into a design space. Next, I review related investigates infrastructures of maintenance and labor, which design research on bodily care and maintenance, including expands upon how our felt bodies are entangled beyond the the role of data in personal health and identity in addition to individual with governance through technology [20]. Taken approaches that address taboo topics within women’s health. together, these projects represent a diversity of approaches Lastly, I present a trajectory of approaches of technologies for within and for bodily care: from solutions to speculations, bodily excretion to orient my own work. from individuals to society, and from private to public. They also foreground a broader research aim that challenges bodily Designing with Data taboos and inattention that I draw heavily upon for the design Bringing data into a design space is not an unusual practice space presented. for designers and is exemplified through a diversity of design research that has explored a multitude of ways in which data Technologies for Human Waste can contribute to or be a result of a design process. The Dat- The removal of human bodily waste has a long history acatcher is one such example in which the location-curated with technology. Two of the perhaps most well-known and output of sociopolitical data is inherent to the design research widespread inventions are sewage systems and the modern toi- artifact as a product [23]. Through its deployment, the project let. Although sewage infrastructures and the basic mechanics surfaced challenges of working with data sets and distribution of flush toilets have remained relatively stagnant over the past at scale. In Metadating, Elsden et al. investigate the social life century, technology continues to create new interactions, de- of data within our everyday lives through a future-oriented pro- vices, and services for human waste. A reframing of waste as cess by which participants directly engaged and reflected upon something useful is seen in biogas efforts to harvest potential their own personal data relative to their identities and conver- energy from feces into electricity [64]. High-tech toilets in sations [16]. Along with a speculative wedding documentation Japan have integrated such features as motion-activated covers, service [15], these projects surfaced questions regarding what heated seats, deodorizers, illuminated bowls, and music. The might be actuated and how within the "lived-life" of data for idea of smart toilets also includes bodily excretion analysis for our everyday lives. By contrast, OLO radio