A Journey Inward: The Somaesthetic Experience of a Heated Walking Carpet

We present a novel walking carpet with integrated heat elements, designed to promote introspection while walking. The three-meters carpet has 10 heater pads spread in a step-by-step pattern, allowing participants to explore the heat sensation using their feet. In an iterative design process, inspired by the somaesthetic appreciation design approach, we created a two-layer fabric-based carpet with heat elements and embroidered visual signifiers. The experience was evaluated in an exploratory qualitative study with 10 participants, who walked on the carpet back and forth without shoes. The thematic analysis of post-study interviews revealed four themes: exploration of the physical body, feelings evoked by the warmth sensation on the feet, contemplation evoked by the warmth sensation, and impact on attention. Our work suggests that coupling the ancient wisdom of walking as a contemplative practice with heat elements produces a novel interactive experience that promotes introspection of physical, mental, and cultural processes.