Layered Interactions: Exploring Non-Intrusive Digital Craftsmanship Design Through Lacquer Art Interfaces

TL;DR

This paper presents Layered Interactions, a novel design approach that integrates interactive circuits into traditional lacquerware, enhancing digital craftsmanship by combining materiality, accessibility, and collaboration.

Contribution

It introduces a layered, non-intrusive interface design method embedding programmable hardware into lacquerware, bridging traditional craftsmanship with modern HCI technologies.

Findings

Enhanced accessibility for artisans

Improved materiality and emotional engagement

Fostered collaboration between artisans and technologists

Abstract

Integrating technology with the distinctive characteristics of craftsmanship has become a key issue in the field of digital craftsmanship. This paper introduces Layered Interactions, a design approach that seamlessly merges Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) technologies with traditional lacquerware craftsmanship. By leveraging the multi-layer structure and material properties of lacquerware, we embed interactive circuits and integrate programmable hardware within the layers, creating tangible interfaces that support diverse interactions. This method enhances the adaptability and practicality of traditional crafts in modern digital contexts. Through the development of a lacquerware toolkit, along with user experiments and semi-structured interviews, we demonstrate that this approach not only makes technology more accessible to traditional artisans but also enhances the materiality and emotional qualities of interactive interfaces. Additionally, it fosters mutual learning and collaboration between artisans and technologists. Our research introduces a cross-disciplinary perspective to the HCI community, broadening the material and design possibilities for interactive interfaces.