The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities of using auditory stimulation in order to raise somatic awareness of horse riders while riding using Somaesthetic Appreciation Design as a method. In research of Somaesthetics and horse-human relations, a gap in Somaesthetics is being questioned, and a new dimension is suggested. Somaesthetics in the design of technology often surround the self of a user, and Somaesthetics as described by Shusterman is focused on self development, but many of our experiences are in union to other beings. The suggestion of a new dimension is called Centaur Somaesthetics, and it focuses on the relation and communication between two somas in order to understand and improve oneself.  One example of an experience where the self is dependent to another being is within equestrianism, where the rider is dependent on the horse. Riders, as well as their horses, use their bodies to communicate while riding, meaning that being aware of one's body as a tool for communication is crucial. When horse and rider find harmony within teamwork, the rider may experience a centaur feeling of being one with the horse. This centaur feeling relies on the rider's ability to support and direct the horse, but to do this we need to understand the horse. One of the basics in equestrianism is rhythm and tempo, where a correct rhythm and a consistent tempo in all gaits is desirable as it is a sign of good communication and a well-educated horse. By applying the Somaesthetics principle of raising somatic awareness to understand and improve oneself - this study has explored the possibilities of using audio in combination with the self-tracking application Equilab, using their technology of tracking motion data to determine rhythm and tempo. This has resulted in the concept of using rhythm-adaptive and tempo-flexible music to support the riders to be more aware of their bodies as a tool for communication. The music will present a correct rhythm of the ridden gait as well as it is being played at a consistent tempo of the horse’s natural tempi. While testing a design of the concept called Hear the Centaur, the conclusion of the music having great signs of a heightened somatic awareness was established. No objective data of a more consistent tempo or a more correct rhythm was found, but all riders who participated in the study articulated that they found a great support in the music. All riders found support in the area that they were currently struggling with, and all riders mentioned that the music helped them with their communication to their horse.

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This paper outlines a first-person engagement with energy systems and materiality and shows how somaesthetic design is one possible means by which we can cultivate and design for new ways of ethical being in relation to energy systems. The climate crisis does not afford a continued pace of our current technological design and development. There is a need to reframe our relationship to energy, particularly in a Western energy context, like Sweden, where we have plentiful access and no meaningful barriers to thoughtless use. Sustainable Interaction Design (SID) has attempted but fallen short of bringing forth meaningful interventions. This project argues that facilitating a new way of being in relation to energy will help us open an unexamined design space. Soma design is about designing ways of being in the world, but soma design as a method uses how we are in the world to find designerly ways of contributing to a transformational becoming. Through a deep engagement on the individual level, I did design work around energy system relations. Autobiographical design work revealed a trajectory of fatalism and extreme restriction to a slow loosening up – an opening into a more holistic relationship with energy. As the process unfolded, it became clear that sustainability is not a somaesthetic sensibility but that it can be appealed to via soma design methodology which reveals underlying notions and values that benefit sustainability. This contributed to a new understanding of how we relate to energy somatically and how we might tap into relational ethics in interaction design research and practice to encourage a felt sense for the materiality of energy. / Denna artikel skisserar ett förstapersonsengagemang med energisystem och materialitet och visar hur somaestetisk design är ett möjligt sätt genom vilket vi kan odla och designa för nya sätt att etiskt vara i relation till energisystem. Klimatkrisen har inte råd med en fortsatt takt i vår nuvarande tekniska design och utveckling. Det finns ett behov av att omformulera vårt förhållande till energi, särskilt i ett västerländskt energisammanhang, som Sverige, där vi har gott om tillgång och inga meningsfulla hinder för tanklös användning. Sustainable Interaction Design (SID) har försökt men misslyckats med att ta fram meningsfulla interventioner. Detta projekt argumenterar för att underlätta ett nytt sätt att vara i relation till energi kommer att hjälpa oss att öppna ett outforskat designutrymme. Soma design handlar om att designa sätt att vara i världen, men soma design som metod använder hur vi är i världen för att hitta designmässiga sätt att bidra till ett transformerande tillblivelse. Genom ett djupt engagemang på individnivå gjorde jag designarbete kring energisystemrelationer. Självbiografiskt designarbete avslöjade en bana av fatalism och extrem begränsning till en långsam uppluckring – en öppning till ett mer holistiskt förhållande till energi. Allt eftersom processen utvecklades blev det tydligt att hållbarhet inte är en somaestetisk känslighet utan att den kan tilltalas via soma designmetodik som avslöjar underliggande föreställningar och värderingar som gynnar hållbarhet. Detta bidrog till en ny förståelse för hur vi förhåller oss till energi somatiskt och hur vi kan utnyttja relationsetik i interaktionsdesignforskning och praktik för att uppmuntra en känsla för energins materialitet.

Touch-based interactions have been of interest within interaction design, as they can communicate large quantities of information about materials, systems, and impact affective states. This dissertation outlines the process of developing a design method to aid designers in honing their somatic sensibilities to engage in interactions of caring touch through touch-based interactions and explorations. By utilizing a somatics-based research through design process, I performed first-person explorations of qualities of gentle and caring gestures of touch and correspondence. Correspondence refers to the moments of intimate connection with a system where the feedback is experienced as an extension of one’s body. This first-person exploration process included various estrangement exercises, explorations of touch, material affordances, and correspondence. The findings from the first-person explorations became the basis of the sensitization toolkit and method, which was later evaluated through the use of workshops with participants with knowledge of soma design. The contribution of this dissertation is threefold. Firstly by offering an accessible design method for sensitizing designers to interactions of caring touch and to further explore qualities of touch to inform multisensory design outcomes. Secondly, during the workshop, it was shown to elicit care, it is important to orchestrate small disruptions in the flow of correspondence. Lastly, by suggesting the use of subtle disruptions in correspondence as a way for designers to develop their somatic sensibilities and pique curiosity, and in turn possibly inspire new interactions and designs. / Beröringsbaserade interaktioner har varit av intresse inom interaktionsdesign, eftersom de kan kommunicera stora mängder information om material, system, och påverka känslomässiga tillstånd. Denna uppsats beskriver utvecklingsprocessen av en designmetod för att hjälpa designers att utveckla sin somatiska känslighet för att engagera sig i interaktioner med omsorgsfull beröring genom beröringsbaserade interaktioner och utforskningar. Genom en somatics-baserad research through design-metodik, utförde jag förstapersonsutforskningar av kvaliteter av beröring och korrespondens. Med korrespondens menas ögonblick av intim kontakt med system där återkopplingen upplevs som en förlängning av ens kropp. Denna förstapersonsutforskning inkluderade fjärmande övningar, utforskningar av berörning, materiella kvaliteer, och korrespondens. Resultaten från dessa utforskningarna blev grunden för verktygslådan och metoden, som senare utvärderades genom workshops med deltagare som hade kunskap inom somadesign. Bidraget från denna avhandling är trefaldigt. För det första genom att bidra med en lättillgänglig designmetod för att göra designers medvetna om interaktioner av omsorgsfull beröring och att ytterligare utforska beröringskvaliteter för att informera multisensoriska designlösningar. För det andra visade det sig under workshopen att vid avsiktligt framkallande av omsorg är det viktigt att orkestera små störningar i korrespondens. Slutligen, föreslås användningen av subtila störningar i korrespondensen som ett sätt för designers att utveckla sin somatiska känslighet och väcka nyfikenhet, och genom det möjligen inspirera nya former av interaktioner och designs.