Design-driven approaches to human augmentation. An exploratory study

Human Augmentation, also referred to as Human 2.0, is the set of practices and disciplines that focus on creating cognitive and physical enhancements as an integral part of the human body, augmenting its natural capabilities through the implementation of technological devices. Various questions arise from the implications of such interventions on the human body, with opinions on its legitimacy being conflictual and while sparking ethical concerns in the definition of a post-human condition in which creativity is one of the human capabilities that could be augmented. The Design discipline is set to be both affecting and being affected by this transition, paving the way to augmented forms of hybrid interaction, perception and cognition mediated by on-body interfaces. This exploratory poster aims at investigating the field of Human Augmentation under the lens of Human-Centered Design and understanding the role of the designer in this novel research field. This investigation is carried out through a review of academic papers and case studies - including projects, experimentations and workshops - in the field of Human Augmentation that include the implementation of a design-based approach in their development, with regard to the processes and methods adopted. This poster has the overall objective of offering a contribution to the debate on Human Augmentation from a Design point of view, with the idea of highlighting the positive approaches to the field that are dedicated to the synergic confluence of human users and their cyber-physical extensions to guide the future development of Human-Augmenting Design.