Poetic haptics. Reclaming the body's presence in design

Abstract

My Bachelor's thesis explores the loss of haptic richness occurring during the translation from analog to digital touch, a historical issue that has intensified with the emergence of touchscreens. The transition from physical materials to digital surfaces has significantly reduced tactile complexity, reducing touch to a uniform, smooth surface. Inspired by natural analog textures, Poetic Haptics proposes a structured and repeatable system in which each material is translated through successive stages, from physical to digital to hybrid, machine-mediated forms. The result is an archive of visual documentation, including prints and a video capturing this transformation process. I documented how tactile qualities like friction, softness, and resistance are gradually altered, lost, or reinterpreted. Rather than recreating touch, the project evokes its memory, suggesting poetic ways to preserve haptic experiences and to reclaim the body’s presence in design.