Architecting a sleeping suit

Architect Forrest Jessee is dabbling in architecture structures applied to garments in this gorgeous and cocoon-like functional pattern. “Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s practice of Dymaxion Sleeping, which involves four segments of half-hour naps every six hours, Jessee redefined the sleeping ritual while challenging the roles of private and public space by designing the portable Sleep Suit. Continue reading »

Always-available natural user interfaces

I met with Desney Tan at Microsoft Research today, who walked me through a few mind-blowing demos and prototypes he has recently developed. One of his prototypes demonstrates the capabilities of using on-body musclecomputer inputs that can be integrated into garments. Listening to Tan articulately describe a bloom of possibilities and how he sees the evolution of interfacing was incredibly inspiring. Just imagine the potential.

Read Tan’s publication for more info.

Smart textiles integrated into your dashboard

This project, sent in from one of my colleagues, makes it clear that there are no boundaries to how technology can be integrated into textiles to create beautiful, useful and richly tactile experiences. Car Design News shows off Toyota’s FT86 concept car. Here’s an image of the interior dashboard. It includes traditional garment hardware, red zippers, located at each corner of the passengers side dash that control airflow and integrates the stereo controls directly into the leather. Hot.

Click the image to zoom in.

A performance installation based on tradition

This performance piece was just sent to me from Miya Masaoka called LED KIMONO. Thanks for sending it in Miya! It’s a beautiful performance piece based on the historical context of Kimono wearing traditions.

In college, Miya studied with Gagaku master Suenobu Togi Sensei, which played a big part in influencing this project. Here’s how she describes her experience: “I learned that in gagaku music, one wears kimonos as they did in the Heian Dynasty Continue reading »

Knitted stretch sensing

Hannah Perner-Wilson of Pulsea has been exploring knitted stretch sensing. She’s got a great photoset here that documents her experiments. I wonder how accurate the sensors ended up being. She is also exploring a circular knitting machine. I can’t wait to see if and when she’ll make some machine-made knitted stretch sensors.

See related post: Stretch Sensing Creates a New Aesthetic

Diana Eng launches Fairytale Fashion

DIY wearable technology expert Diana Eng has launched a site called Fairytale Fashion in collaboration with Eyebeam. Here’s how she describes the work: “Fairytale Fashion is using technology to create a collection of magical clothing in real life (with blooming flowers, transforming shapes, changing colors, etc.) for Feb. 2010. We share our work in weekly research and development web videos. You can help us create the designs by answering the design question at the end of each video.”

Check out some of her interesting videos here and start getting some hands-on experience with some of the materials that she’s exploring.

Amy Thompson creates Plastic Analogue

This collection was recently sent to me by my friends at n-ktr. This gorgeously functional, yet slightly unwearable collection called Plastic Analogue created by Amy Thompson instantly reminded me of an analog version of the wearable robotic device that Honda has been investigating. Each piece is mechanical, exposing the function, joints, and seams as the aesthetic centerpiece. What would happen if this type of aesthetic was applied to the work that Honda is doing?

Read the post on Honda’s wearable robotic device.

Smart Fabrics 2009 Conference Review

This review by the folks at Innovation in Textiles of the 5th annual Smart Fabrics Conference that took place in Rome this year is definitely worth the read for anyone who is interested in wearables. In a nutshell, the newly forming eTextile business sector is rapidly developing legs outside of research, educational institutions, and DIY enthusiasts toward consumer products and mass markets. Read the full review ›

Stretch sensing creates a new aesthetic

I ran across this project while researching stretch sensing technology that is all the buzz right now. This gorgeous project, Aeolia, integrates stretch sensing directly into fabrics. “Each of the back forms incorporates the Merlin stretch sensor into an aesthetic exploration of textile technique mapped to the body.” source What’s interesting about this exploration is that the circuitry itself is integrated so beautifully and seamlessly into the fabric, that it creates a completely new aesthetic that also has the potential to fit comfortably and flexibly against the body. I would love to get my hands on a sample!

Whatch videos that demonstrate the material here.

Low-resolution modeled footwear

I girl can never own enough footwear. So, in my never-ending quest for shoes that I can’t live without, I ran across these beauties created by United Nude founded by the drooling-ly fabulous architect Rem Koolhaas. What’s interesting about these shoes is the way in which the surface was designed. The designers at United Nude have been pushing the limits of 3d modeling techniques. The surface pattern of this shoe named “Lo Res” was created by scanning in a 3D model of a shoe, then reducing the model’s polygons down to the lowest resolution and smallest file size. As a result, the surface celebrates the model’s minimal polygons as if it was stolen from a Second Life avatar.

Related posts: Digitally Printed Fashion

Wearable technology at ITP

The ITP program at NYU always has something cookin’ in the wearable technology space. This vid shows what kinds of experiments the students are up to. There are a series of interviews where students who are exploring wearables talk about their projects, what the project’s intentions are, and what they see in the future.

Electronic fabrics workshop, July 11

I’m running a wearable technology workshop this weekend at Frayedwire, which will introduce people to soft-circuits and how to work with conductive threads. Here’s the workshop:

Making Electronic Fabrics:
Integrating Conductive Thread, LEDs, and Soft Switches into fabrics

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Generating energy from your wrist

Designers Mathieu Servais, Camille Lefer, Clément Faydi and Mickaël Denié have created the Dyson Energy bracelet that generates power from your wrist. It “uses Seebeck effect to harness energy and power your mobile phones for a few precious minutes more…”

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A connection while sleeping

Student Alexander Reeder at the NYU ITP program has created Dream Jammies, which explores the connection that can be made through natural sleep patterns across distances. A pair of pajamas are embedded with sensors that connect to your loved-one’s phone. The phone displays an ambient color that represents the state of sleep.

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Vital Jacket monitors heart rate

“All sorts of huge machines are used by hospitals to monitor a patient’s vitals, but with the pace in which technology is miniaturizing, there are no real doubts about fabrics becoming the next genuine machines…

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