Pak Ni Chow

Over – Desire Catcher is a satirical and speculative wearable device that critically responds to the rise of impulse spending in livestream shopping. Taking inspiration from grotesque octopus tentacles, the soft robotic device inflates and wraps around the user's wrist whenever a purchase is made. The longer the user stays on the platform or continues engaging, the more the tentacle swells—gradually increasing physical pressure and discomfort. This isn’t a punishment, but a form of narrative interruption: a performative disruption of habitual consumption.

Situated within the hyper-stimulated context of livestream commerce—where shopping merges with entertainment and social performance—the device exposes the blurred line between desire and necessity. It physically intervenes in everyday consumer gestures like swiping, clicking, and paying, reframing these automatic behaviors as opportunities for reflection. As embedded smart textiles stretch, they emit high-frequency noise, adding a layer of sonic irritation that turns consumption into an ironically embarrassing experience.

Blending consumer psychology, sales ritual research, and wearable tech, the device uses absurdity and discomfort to shift the user’s perspective. An optional spending limit function inflates the device as the user nears their budget threshold. Through a physical prototype, stylized animation, and visual storyboard, Over – Desire Catcher constructs a multi-sensory narrative environment that invites critical awareness of how we shop, why we want, and what it means to resist.

Collaborators

Felix Loftus, Karsten Goodwin, Xiuyuan Zhang, Jingyu Li, Wanqi Fu, @wenyiqn, @hrisj3d (Technical Support)

Songsong (Emotional Support)