One of her recent projects was work that started over two years ago generating dynamic textiles made from liquid, air and vapor. The “liquid textile” was then used on set for Robyn’s Indestructible music video. The effect is mesmerizing. Here’s the making of…

“1.2 kilometres of transparent plumbing tubing was knitted with fishing wire to skin Robyn’s body. 40 litres of glycerol pumps through over a kilometre of tube, powered by drill pumps that connect to valves releasing air intermittently between the liquid. Gradient colors pulse through the tubes at different speeds, the effect is a living, breathing dynamic skin that traverses the landscape of the body.

The Dream Team is Lucy McRae, Barnaby Monk, Mike Pelletier, Sanne Van Wersch, Laetitia Migliore and Amba Molly. Special Thanks to Mandy, Sofie, Froukje, Maaike, Honor, Loes, Ine and Branca. Edited by Ine van den Elsen.”

Continue reading on LucyMcRae.net
Images from LucyMcRae.net

For the past few months, I’ve been working with high school senior girls, Meron Shiferaw and Tsedey Tadesse, at Roosevelt High School in Seattle on a collaborative, cross-disciplinary project. The project introduces the young women to both technology and fashion and how to merge them into a new experience in the shape of an interactive gown. The project had its roots in a course Meron took at Roosevelt HS last year — Introduction to Computer Science. That course, taught by Andrew Davidson, introduced students to the basics of computer science and engineering. During this project, they completed 6 phases that taught them interaction design, basic electronics, intro to eTextiles, basic programming, fashion design and fashion construction.

Their project concept uses technology to push the boundaries of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns. The interaction takes the participant through a playful story of the modernization of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns that started with handmade gowns with a single ornate pattern around the bottom edge and slowly became more ornate and shorter in length through the generations.

Here’s how the project turned out…

At one point of the project, Tsedey took a trip to Ethiopia and purchased hand-made traditional wedding gown fabric for the project. Each floral pattern in the fabric was used to diffuse the LEDs that were embedded in an inner lining.

The transition and animation of the LEDs told the story of the modernization of traditional ethiopian wedding gowns.

Meron Shiferaw (left) and Tsedey Tadesse (right)

For more info on the girls’ process, go to part 1 to see how they got started and part 2 to see the hurdles that they had to overcome.

Special thanks to Kevin Wong Photography who took the gorgeous final photos of the project.

According to TechCrunch, Apple and Facebook should be terrified of Google-Tinted glasses. “Google’s augmented reality eyewear is coming to disrupt your face and your business model. If you don’t even have to pull your phone out to take a photo, get directions, or message with friends, why would you need to buy the latest iPhone or spend so much time on Facebook?

It could be a year before Google eyewear reaches stores, but that’s why these and other tech companies need to strategize now. If they wait to see if the device is a hit, the world could be seeing through Google-tinted glasses by the time they adapt. Apple and Facebook’s bet might be to team up…

Despite its lack of hardware experience, Google is the best positioned company to make, or at least provide the software for eyeglass computers. It has Android, Google+, Maps, Gmail, Gcal, Latitude, and more. Glass might go belly up, but if not it could breathe life into some of these sluggish services.” Continue reading on Techcrunch

Where’s Microsoft in all of this?

From a design perspective, I worry about the aesthetics of both the hardware and the interface and the usefulness of the experience. Nobody sets out to look like a dork. If I am asked to wear it, it has to be beautiful. I have to want to wear it and I’m not convinced that they nailed it with this version of the design. And this concept has been around for decades. Why is this version better and does it really make me want to use it over my phone?

Image from International Business Times

Nike’s footwear guru Tinker Hatfield and designer Tiffany Beers show off the 2011 Nike MAG Sneakers that was a limited edition design based off a Back to the Future movie prop. Here’s their process and how they made these light-up dream shoes.

Image via undergroundsoles

Wearable Multitouch Interaction gives users the ability to make an entire wall a touch surface, while PocketTouch enables users to interact with smartphones inside a pocket or purse, a small surface area for touch. Both projects will be unveiled during UIST 2012, the Association for Computing Machinery’s 24th Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, being held Oct. 16-19 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Make Every Surface a Touch Screen

Wearable Multitouch Interaction turns any surface in the user’s environment into a touch interface. A paper co-authored by Chris Harrison, a Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University and a former Microsoft Research intern; Benko; and Andy Wilson—describes a wearable system that enables graphical, interactive, multitouch input on arbitrary, everyday surfaces.

“We wanted to capitalize on the tremendous surface area the real world provides,” explains Benko, of the Natural Interaction Research group. “The surface area of one hand alone exceeds that of typical smart phones. Tables are an order of magnitude larger than a tablet computer. If we could appropriate these ad hoc surfaces in an on-demand way, we could deliver all of the benefits of mobility while expanding the user’s interactive capability.”

The Wearable Multitouch Interaction prototype is built to be wearable, a novel combination of laser-based pico projector and depth-sensing camera. The camera is an advanced, custom prototype provided by PrimeSense. Once the camera and projector are calibrated to each other, the user can don the system and begin using it.

Continue reading about Wearable Multitouch at Microsoft Research…

PocketTouch: Through-Fabric Input Sensing

PocketTouch: Through-Fabric Capacitive Touch Input—written by Saponas, Harrison, and Benko—describes a prototype that consists of a custom, multitouch capacitive sensor mounted on the back of a smartphone. It uses the capacitive sensors to enable eyes-free multitouch input on the device through fabric, giving users the convenience of a rich set of gesture interactions, ranging from simple touch strokes to full alphanumeric text entry, without having to remove the device from a pocket or bag.

Benko also stresses that both Wearable Multitouch Interaction and PocketTouch are evolutionary steps of a larger effort by Microsoft Research to investigate the unconventional use of touch in devices to extend Microsoft’s vision of ubiquitous computing.

Continue reading this article at Microsoft Research…
Main image from Compliance Research

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Make some room in your junk drawer – that old pedometer is about to find a new home.  The market is exploding with new technology targeting both consumers who want more control over their personal fitness and those looking to change their lifestyle to improve their overall health.  This emerging trend centers on the idea that we want to collect biometric and environmental information on what we do, how we eat, when we sleep, and even how we feel.  Some folks call it the Quantified Self movement, which is a fancy name for people that like to collect data on their daily habits to analyze or share with others.  From established brands like Polar and Nike, to upstarts such as Jawbone and other independent manufacturers, the personal fitness space is getting crowded with wearable devices that can collect personal data and talk to our ever-present smartphones.

Despite the proliferation of gadgets, it’s difficult to pinpoint one that really stands out.  A lot of the new wearable devices count calories and track users’ movements, so companies are trying to differentiate themselves through accessories, add-ons, and feature sets that, for good or bad, approach the challenge of data collection and analysis in similar ways.  Still, there are some interesting options out there, so let’s take a look.

• It’s all in the wrist. What’s old is new again.  Wristwatches are ubiquitous, making them ideal for companies like Polarand Garmin to convert them into wearable computers. Capable of handling many functions that were up until very recently, the domain of much larger devices, these multitasking timepieces are becoming more robust, offering a lot of functionality that let runners and bikers leave their phones at home so they can exercise without distraction.
• New wearable options. Beyond the wrist, other solutions come in designs that can be clipped, Velcroed, or hung form your body.  Despite their migration away from the wrist, the data collection options remain similar.
• Make it social. Where once products differentiated themselves with social networking capabilities, we’ve come to expect our products to share with the world.
• Not-so-everyday products. Just as TVs are becoming more and more connected, so too are other common household items.Fitbit has been doing a nice job with their Ultra wearable device/iPhone app solution (a lightweight clip/iPhone app combination) and is now extending the experience into everyday objects.

“I was really drawn to the idea of a lone character made of light surfing through darkness,” says Sutton of his costume choice. “I’ve always been excited by unusual ways of lighting things, so it seemed like an exciting idea to make the subject of the film the only light source.” Sutton, who has created work for the likes of Hermès, Burberry and The New York Times, spent three nights on a skidoo with his trusty Red Epic camera at temperatures of -25C to snap Hughes carving effortlessly through the deep snow, even enlisting his own father to help maintain the temperamental suit throughout the demanding shoot. “Filming in the suit was the most surreal thing I’ve done in 20 years of snowboarding,” says Hughes of the charged salopettes. “Luckily there was plenty of vin rouge to keep me warm, and Jacob’s enthusiasm kept everyone going through the cold nights.”

Continue reading at nowness.
More on Gizmodo.

According to an article published by Fast Company about the project, “by transforming the traditional lens camera into a wearable screen (it can be worn as a necklace or attached with a pin or clip), Artefact tapped into the idea of using tech as a means of self-expression–an especially smart strategy for attracting the Lady Gaga generation. The e-ink display uses the same technology as Amazon’s Kindle, but here, the 32-bit grayscale monitor renders moody, black-and-white images that complement the retro-cool, color-saturated effect of Instagram.”

Here’s how Artefact approached the concept:

The traditional point-and-shoot camera is becoming marginalized as camera phones continue to improve in quality and functionality. We thought about how to re-imagine this device as a product that teens and young adults would want to use as much as their phones. But rather than try to displace the cell-phone as a camera, we wanted to find a solution that integrates into the existing tech ecosystem (mobile, app, social media).

Young people enjoy sharing experiences right at the moment they happen and define their identity through creative outlets. Artefact wanted to design an affordable yet disruptive camera that offers instant gratification and relevance to its user. Emphasis has been placed on fun and self-expression rather than tech specs and functions.

As a fashion accessory, Meme goes with everything! Users can change the picture as frequently as they change their mood, interests, or style. Meme can be worn as a necklace, or attached to clothing with a pin or clip.

Continue reading on Artefact

Read more at gumballtech
Images from etsy

For the past few months, I’ve been working with high school senior girls, Meron Shiferaw and Tsedey Tadesse, at Roosevelt High School in Seattle on a collaborative, cross-disciplinary project. The project introduces the young women to both technology and fashion and how to merge them into a new experience in the shape of an interactive gown. Throughout the months, they’ve been learning basic electronics, programming, fashion design and fashion construction. Here’s a look at their progress…

As a recap to last month’s post, the project had its roots in a course Meron took at Roosevelt HS last year — Introduction to Computer Science. That course, taught by Andrew Davidson, introduced students to the basics of computer science and engineering. So far, they’ve gone through 4 (out of 6) phases and are in the middle of construction and programming. Here’s a recap and their progress…

1. Concepting and design 

The first step for the students was to understand basic electronic theory, sensors, and interaction possibilities and concept ideas based on the limitations. When the students started the project, the original concept was to invite social play through an interactive gown (see last month’s post for details). As they investigated what it would take to build a working prototype that included wireless capabilities and custom software that communicated with Twitter APIs, they decided to simplify the concept and scope it down to something that they could realistically build within the given timeframe.

Removing the complexity of wireless connectivity and open APIs, the students focused on a concept that used 9 LEDs and a remote control that participants could use to interact with the dress. For the concept, the students went back to their roots and decided to merge tradition Ethiopian culture with technology.

For their project, the concept uses technology to push the boundaries of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns. The interaction takes the participant through a playful story of the modernization of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns that started with handmade gowns with a single ornate pattern around the bottom edge and slowly became more ornate and shorter in length through the generations.

2. Intro to eTextiles

During this phase, they learned about different types of conductive threads, how to sew and work with the threads, and simple techniques to prepare electronics components for garment construction.

3. Intro to Arduino and electronics

During this phase and thanks to Roosevelt’s Computer Science teacher, Andrew Davidson, the students learned how to work with an Arduino board, basic electronics, and programming.

4. Intro to fashion design and construction

While learning the electronics and programming side of the project, they also learned about fashion design, pattern making, garment construction, and how to prepare a garment for circuit integration.

5. Integrating the circuit into the dress

This is Meron and Tsedey’s current phase, so they’re in the midst of working on production and learning how to integrate the circuitry into a garment. Once the full circuit was working without a glitch on the breadboard, it was time to start sewing it into the garment. The tedious hand-sewing took days for the students to complete, which was reminiscent of meticulous handcrafting of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns. Finally, they had all 9 LEDs sewn into the dress behind the 9 fabric patterns along with the Lilypad, batteries and remote IR sensor that would allow the remote control to communicate with the dress.

It’s working!

 6. Programming

The students started with a basic program, but now that the circuit is in the dress, they wanted to make a few improvements on the design of the interaction. So, we had a design session to flush out the interaction. The students wanted to tell a playful story around the modernization of traditional Ethiopian wedding gowns, which began as ankle-length handmade gowns decorated with a pattern around the bottom seam. Through time, the patterns became more ornate and moved up the dress just as the seams got shorter. SO, they decided to use this for the interaction and mapped out the dress modes:

• Mode 1: Pulse along the bottom edge. This is reminiscent of long traditional gowns with patterns along the bottom seam.
• Mode 2: Twinkle along the bottom edge. Through time, the patterns started to become more ornate and complex.
• Mode 3: Pulse the top rows. Through time, the dresses started to become shorter
• Mode 4: Twinkle the top rows. Not only did they get shorter, but more patterns embellished the dress in more areas.
• Mode 5: Twinkle everywhere. The more modern dresses have more patterns and come in a variety of lengths

Using the remote, participants can change the speed of the pulsing and twinkling, change modes, and control individual LEDs in a fun and playful way.

Stay tuned for the March Presentation/Demo

The final presentation and demo will be in March and the students are working hard to finish the dress by then. Stay tuned as the dress starts taking shape and we’ll share the final outcome then…

Related post: Electricfoxy mentors Roosevelt Students (part 1)