While the term might sounds like something as figurative as “thinking cap” or “birthday suit,” an empathy suit is an actual contraption used by designers to simulate various conditions, including old age. The Mobilstrictor, for example, simulates a loss of mobility–the kind that might come from an accident, or a condition like rheumatoid arthritis. Designers don the suit for one hour while trying to pursue the kind of everyday tasks most of us approach in an average day: eating, using the telephone, even getting up out of bed, or into a car. The Mobilstrictor is also called the “Third Age Suit,” a term that refers to a European concept, referring to anyone over the age of 55.

The above is taken from the I LOVE TYPOGRAPHY blog. And if this site floats your boat, I have a feeling you will love this documentary, Helevetica, by Gary Hustwit–producer of Moog, and the soon-to-be released documentary on industrial design, Objectified.

[stills from the film Helevetica]