Material Experiences of Menstruation and Symbiotic Technologies

Our research explores how the materiality of menstruating bodies can be used to create new material experiences that stimulate awareness, appreciation, and knowledge about menstrual cycles. In our collaboration, we bring together knowledge in women’s health, material science, and design research to design symbiotic technologies that reconfigure the perception of bodily fluids as body waste toward a material that can be appreciated and repurposed. We experimented with repurposing menstrual blood using various technologies and DIY (do it yourself) scientific instruments to facilitate a deeper engagement for the menstruator. We prototyped three encounters with menstrual blood (tactile, acoustic, and visual).