TURNED ON / TURNED OFF: Investigating the Interaction Design Implications of the Contraceptive Microchip

Sammanfattning: In 2018 a new contraceptive method in the form of a programmable microchip implant will be made available to women. This research attempts to unpack the interaction design implications of the marriage between contraceptive methods and digital technology that the contraceptive microchip represents. The contraceptive microchip comes with a remote control component that is handed to the user so that they can de-activate and re-activate their own fertility. This research uses a range of methods including performance-based speculative design in order to unpack the interaction design implications of the contraceptive microchip. The first major contribution of this research is the compilation of areas of concern for potential adopters of the contraceptive microchip relating to the implantation of digital technology. The second major contribution is the exploration into how the remote control component of the contraceptive microchip could mediate sexual relationships.