Design as Ethics: Developing Design Practices for Sensory Augmentation

Commercial Sensory Augmentation technology enables us to purchase devices which augment our senses. Sensory Augmentation (SA) – ‘the extension of the body’s ability to sense aspects of the environment that are usually inaccessible to them’ (author’s definition) – can create new embodied experiences (Hayles, 1999) by expanding the perceptual range of the sensory modalities (Kaspar et al., 2014). However, as a sub-category of Human Enhancement technology (HEt), specific regulations haven’t yet been developed (European Parliament, 2009; Jensen et al., 2018), without which potentially harmful devices may reach the market. This practice-led research explores how ethics is enacted through the design of SA and examines how these issues are shaped by, and shape, the design process of future devices (Tonkinwise, 2004; Verbeek, 2011). The aim is to empower SA creators to develop ethical devices in lieu of regulation. To do so this research asks: How can participatory and speculative design methodologies be used to explore the impacts of Sensory Augmentation and support ethical decision-making in its design and use? HEt and its consequences are analysed, while incorporating Posthumanist theory to expand considerations beyond the human (BraidoW, 2013; Ferrando, 2019). These ethical considerations are presented to publics (Dewey, 1927) during facilitated workshops to determine their perspectives on the technology, who as the future users have the right to be involved in its’ development (Kensing and Bloomberg, 1998). Then, the creation of Designing Senses book uses Speculative Critical Design (Malpass, 2017) to explore future implications of ethical SA design in context, informed by academic and public insights, and framed by pillars - Post-Humanist/Dualist/Anthropocentric. Curated to engage SA creators, the book raises awareness about ethical issues, provoking reflection on their own work, while providing the Lighthouse Card Deck as a design tool for teams to identify and act on ethical considerations, supporting ethical decision-making in SA design.