DEVELOPMENT

This project explored possibilities of fidgeting beyond reflection by consciously transforming unconscious fidgeting behaviors into intentional input actions. Fidgeting was repurposed as a polling and backchannel interaction gesture within classroom settings, where the design did not aim to prompt reflection, but instead investigated the functional potential of fidgeting as a communicative signal.

Multiple co-design workshops and rapid prototyping iterations were conducted. This process significantly strengthened my ability to collaborate with real users and to define clear research boundaries. Within my vision, this project focused on a specific phase: examining fidgeting as a repurposed input for communication. The next stage of my research shifts toward unconscious fidgeting and its role in reflection.

This project further encouraged a shift in my design attitude toward fidgeting, from treating it as input toward interpretation, and from engagement toward awareness and understanding. It encouraged me to pay attention to the relationship between bodily actions and users’ internal experiences.

EAs

The project did not frame passivity in classroom contexts as a problem or deficiency. Instead, through the fidgeting tool, passivity was reframed as a legitimate form of participation, challenging conventional classroom values.

The system located user input positions and mapped them to polling, backchannel interactions, and light feedback. Fidget input gestures were recorded as discrete states and trigger events, providing foundational experience for future fidget data interpretation.

The physical prototype was designed for comfortable holding, using magnetic resistance to create a pleasant pushing force that enhanced the fidgeting experience.