Footbath
Apr 1, 2024
What happens when a centuries-old ritual meets immersive technology?
Footbath was created to explore that question turning relaxation into a sensory journey beyond the screen.
Image of a Onsen in Hokkaido, and the simulated Onsen
This project was initially conceived by Professor Vibol Yem, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team representing key institutions in Japan and Europe. The University of Tokyo and the University of Tsukuba contributed through academic and technical expertise, while I represented Tallinn University as a UX/UI designer, XR developer, and user experience researcher.
The initiative was also supported by Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd., a major Japanese real estate company, which envisioned the project’s potential application in hotel wellness environments.
Image of the hardware prototype
A scientific paper detailing the system was co-authored by the team (including myself) and the project has been presented at several international conferences, such as SIGGRAPH Asia and AsiaHaptics, within the Emerging Technologies track.