On the Use of Movement-Based Interaction with Smart Textiles for Emotion Regulation.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Body movement can influence emotional experiences.
• Movement-based emotion regulation is an underutilized strategy.
• Smart clothing offers potential for novel emotion regulation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the emotional effects of movement-based interaction.
• Explore the role of sensory feedback mechanisms in emotion regulation.
• Develop and evaluate a smart clothing prototype (E-motionWear) for emotional experiences.

Main Methods:

• Developed E-motionWear with fabric sensors detecting four upper body movements.
• Integrated audio, visual, and vibrotactile feedback mechanisms.
• Employed a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative) to assess emotional responses.

Main Results:

• No significant interaction effect between movement type and feedback on emotional outcomes.
• Participants preferred vibrotactile and audio feedback over visual feedback.
• Shoulder and arm movements were more effective in improving positive emotions than elbow movements.

Conclusions:

• Smart clothing can provide novel emotional experiences.
• Specific movements and feedback modalities (vibrotactile, audio) show promise for emotion regulation.
• Guidelines for designing smart clothing to support emotional regulation were established.