Having a baby is a life-changing experience. But the nine months of pregnancy can be a challenging period for couples. The stresses are increased considerably when one partner is compelled to travel frequently during the pregnancy, or is away from home for a considerable period of time. To deal with this distance, interaction and visual designer Marco Righetto has created Aura. Righetto’s website describes this as “a set of wearable devices for expecting couples”.

The devices include a dress for the expecting mother and a bracelet for the father-to-be. The idea is to provide a special, intimate communication channel between mother, father and baby. The dress and bracelet set is designed to build an intimate line of communication between partners during pregnancy, even when other responsibilities keep them apart.

Now, how does Aura work? Imagine that the expecting mother is alone at home one night, when her baby kicks. Ideally, she would want to share this with her partner. But he is away on tour. She uses her Aura dress to send a message to her partner. Her dress lights up. Meanwhile, the father-to-be feels his bracelet vibrate. He touches it, and far away, the mother’s dress lights up in a pattern. Thus, the communication is complete. Both partners have shared a special moment with their baby.

This wearable computing project is available to expecting mothers in their 25th week of pregnancy onwards. The set of devices cuts down on distance, building an emotional connection between partners. Although initially conceived as a project for expecting couples, Aura can build intimacy and open communication between couples in long distance relationships as well.