A meditation mini-pod and shape-shifting clothing ...
Those are just some of the wearable-technology prototypes designed by 24 young Australians with a program called Haptic Interface.
The group of designers, artists and engineers has been touring China, developing ideas for wearable technologies of the future.
The program's facilitator, Patricia Flanagan, says China is an excellent place to do it.
"China's quite a hothouse for, particularly, this wearable-technology space, and they get exposed to something at the kind of scale that perhaps they haven't seen before."
Engineer Jarrod Griffiths is one of the participants in the program.
He says visiting China has helped him better conceptualise users' needs in the future.
"When I walk around the streets of Beijing and see the scale of everything and how everything interacts with each other, I feel, potentially, that is what our future will be like."
With stopovers as well in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the group has been collaborating with Chinese students, manufacturers and organisations.
Ben Koo, from Tsinghua University's innovative iCentre, hosted the group for a week in Beijing.
He says professionals from both countries benefit from the exchange.
"China needs international experience, working with Australians and people with a broad world view."
The group of Australians has built four wearable prototypes which explore the advantages -- and disadvantages -- of urbanisation.
Designer Deanna Warne is helping create an intelligent scarf which would protect its wearer from smog.
"We're looked at bio-mimicry, so what's going to happen if we continue this way with air pollution and a really unsustainable kind of outlook."
Patricia Flanagan, the facilitator, says she considers it crucial for young Australian creators to learn from advances in Asia, as well as being immersed in the culture.
Learning Mandarin has been a part of the program, and Ms Flanagan says it all helps.
"Australia already has a huge Asian population, and we are in the Asia-Pacific, so it's just crazy if we're not working with our neighbours across the ocean."
For many of the participants, it was their first time in China.
Torres Strait Islander Ruth Saveka says she wants to take back skills which will benefit her community.
She says she hopes to, one day, create a product which tracks symptoms and prevents disease.
"On a recent trip back home, I saw a lot of my people were ... had some form of ailment, especially amongst the Indigenous community, you know, where diabetes is rife."
For the others, the program is about building international relationships which will power Australia's design industry.
Designer Monisha Chippada says meeting young professionals in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen has been invaluable.
"I think there's like a common language and love for progress and just making things which we all share."
The wearable prototypes will be on display at next year's Sydney Design Festival.
