Flexible resin scales that change color under UV light like a snake basking in the sun. Silicone-coated conductive tape shaped into a pain relief patch that’s as stylish as it is soothing. An angelic hearing aid that’s both bold art statement and medical device.

These are a few of the captivating creations from Joe George’s time at Cornell Human Ecology this summer, where he bridged the gap between art and technology as the artist-in-residence in the Hybrid Body Lab.

In the lab, director Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao, assistant professor in human-centered design, brings together digital technology, fashion design and body art to invent beautiful and functional computer interfaces that people can wear on their skin. The residency program, funded by the National Science Foundation, invites artists to collaborate with Kao and her team of researchers, with the goals of exploring the possibilities of technology-involved art practices and expanding access to the emerging technology of on-skin interfaces. 

Read more on the Cornell Human Ecology website...