research-article

An Intimate Laboratory?: Prostheses as a Tool for Experimenting with Identity and Normalcy

Authors:

Cynthia L. Bennett,

Katherine M. Steele,

Daniela K. RosnerAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Pages 1745 - 1756

https://doi.org/10.1145/2858036.2858564

Published: 07 May 2016 Publication History

Abstract

This paper is about the aspects of ability, selfhood, and normalcy embodied in people's relationships with prostheses. Drawing on interviews with 14 individuals with upper-limb loss and diverse experiences with prostheses, we find people not only choose to use and not use prosthesis throughout their lives but also form close and complex relationships with them. The design of "assistive" technology often focuses on enhancing function; however, we found that prostheses played important roles in people's development of identity and sense of normalcy. Even when a prosthesis failed functionally, such as was the case with 3D-printed prostheses created by an on-line open-source maker community (e-NABLE), we found people still praised the design and initiative because of the positive impacts on popular culture, identity, and community building. This work surfaces crucial questions about the role of design interventions in identity production, the promise of maker communities for accelerating innovation, and a broader definition of "assistive" technology.

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https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3654768.3654769
Hamidi FKidane TOwuor PHynie MBaljko M(2023)Supporting Social Inclusion with DIY-ATs: Perspectives of Kenyan Caregivers of Children with Cognitive DisabilitiesACM Transactions on Accessible Computing10.1145/361637816:3(1-27)Online publication date: 21-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3616378
Allen KBalaska AAronson RRogers CShort E(2023)Barriers and Benefits: The Path to Accessible MakerspacesProceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility10.1145/3597638.3608414(1-14)Online publication date: 22-Oct-2023
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Index Terms

An Intimate Laboratory?: Prostheses as a Tool for Experimenting with Identity and Normalcy
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Computing / technology policy

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CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 2016

6108 pages

ISBN:9781450333627

DOI:10.1145/2858036

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University of Michigan
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Microsoft
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University of Iowa

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Published: 07 May 2016

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Cited By

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https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3654768.3654769
Hamidi FKidane TOwuor PHynie MBaljko M(2023)Supporting Social Inclusion with DIY-ATs: Perspectives of Kenyan Caregivers of Children with Cognitive DisabilitiesACM Transactions on Accessible Computing10.1145/361637816:3(1-27)Online publication date: 21-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3616378
Allen KBalaska AAronson RRogers CShort E(2023)Barriers and Benefits: The Path to Accessible MakerspacesProceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility10.1145/3597638.3608414(1-14)Online publication date: 22-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3597638.3608414
Higgins EOliver ZHamidi F(2023)Towards a Social Justice Aligned Makerspace: Co-designing Custom Assistive Technology within a University EcosystemProceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility10.1145/3597638.3608393(1-13)Online publication date: 22-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3597638.3608393
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Eddy EScheme EBateman S(2023)A Framework and Call to Action for the Future Development of EMG-Based Input in HCIProceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3544548.3580962(1-23)Online publication date: 19-Apr-2023
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Bohre YJoshi PPage R(2023)A Review of the Potential and Path to the Large-Scale Adaptation of DIY in Assistive TechnologyDesign in the Era of Industry 4.0, Volume 110.1007/978-981-99-0293-4_86(1067-1079)Online publication date: 25-Jul-2023
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