With the rise of AAPI hate in the past year, we set out to create defensive vests to start a conversation on what it means to feel unsafe as Asian American women. Our vests remind us of the precautions and protections that women take to feel safe. However, we also add our identity as Asian Americans to the purpose of the vest to highlight our vulnerability caused by race tensions in our nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our vests are customized to represent our needs and defensive strategies in times of distress. However, they both retain two key components: one part of the vest is inflated with a hand pump and one part of the vest is inflated with a motor pump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the user presses their hand pump to inflate their vest, a signal is sent via a soft touch sensor to inflate their partner’s vest using their motor pump. The vest allows the user to seek physical comfort by squeezing a hand pump. It also allows the user to communicate their emotional state to their partner. Their partner’s vest flies into a protective mode, almost like a call to action or like someone rushing to rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n