Abstract
Current co-creation design research on human augmentation technologies focuses primarily on restoring functions for individuals with disabilities, overlooking the increasing potential demand for augmentation among ordinary users. To bridge this research gap, this study combined speculative design with user co-creation workshops to examine the practical implications and behavioural impacts of supernumerary robotic limbs (SRLs) on everyday users. Initial questionnaires and interviews (n=42) revealed considerable user interest, particularly regarding upper limb and back augmentations. Based on these insights, we collaboratively developed two prototypes: the 'Mirror Hand', which enhances grasp capabilities by mirroring finger movements, and the 'Third Akimbo', a robotic arm mounted at the waist to improve body stability and multitasking. User-driven tests demonstrated rapid behavioural adaptations, with participants creatively exploring innovative applications such as risk avoidance and simultaneous task execution. Qualitative analysis also highlighted users' psychological embodiment of the devices, suggesting a natural integration into their body schema. Overall, through the co-creation method, this study demonstrates significant potential for augmentation devices like SRLs to influence human behaviour and capabilities. The novel user-driven co-creation paradigm emphasises the importance of engaging ordinary users in designing practical and psychologically acceptable augmentation technologies, providing foundational insights for future interdisciplinary research and everyday applications of human augmentation.
Keywords
Co-creation Design; Human Augmentation; Supernumerary Limbs; User-Driven Testing
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.260
Citation
Zhang, K., Siu, K.W., Jiang, Y., Liu, S.,and Zhang, H.(2025) "The Limbs that I Built": Understanding in Co-Creation Human Augmentation Design and User-Driven Testing, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.260
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 6 - Co-creation
"The Limbs that I Built": Understanding in Co-Creation Human Augmentation Design and User-Driven Testing
Current co-creation design research on human augmentation technologies focuses primarily on restoring functions for individuals with disabilities, overlooking the increasing potential demand for augmentation among ordinary users. To bridge this research gap, this study combined speculative design with user co-creation workshops to examine the practical implications and behavioural impacts of supernumerary robotic limbs (SRLs) on everyday users. Initial questionnaires and interviews (n=42) revealed considerable user interest, particularly regarding upper limb and back augmentations. Based on these insights, we collaboratively developed two prototypes: the 'Mirror Hand', which enhances grasp capabilities by mirroring finger movements, and the 'Third Akimbo', a robotic arm mounted at the waist to improve body stability and multitasking. User-driven tests demonstrated rapid behavioural adaptations, with participants creatively exploring innovative applications such as risk avoidance and simultaneous task execution. Qualitative analysis also highlighted users' psychological embodiment of the devices, suggesting a natural integration into their body schema. Overall, through the co-creation method, this study demonstrates significant potential for augmentation devices like SRLs to influence human behaviour and capabilities. The novel user-driven co-creation paradigm emphasises the importance of engaging ordinary users in designing practical and psychologically acceptable augmentation technologies, providing foundational insights for future interdisciplinary research and everyday applications of human augmentation.