Ping: a social networking garment

[gallery] Alas! I recently completed a project that I've been working on called Ping. It's a garment that connects to your Facebook account wirelessly and from anywhere. It allows you to stay connected to your friends and groups of friends simply by performing natural gestures that are built into the mechanics of the garments we wear. Lift up a hood, tie a bow, zip, button, and simply move, bend and swing to ping your friends naturally and automatically. No phone, no laptop, no hardware. Simply go about your day, look good and stay connected.

I'm investigating three important and emerging areas in wearable technology through this project:

Connection to larger systems The garment investigates ways to connect to larger software systems that can add more functionality and longevity to the experience while offering a new platform for communication and expression.

Aesthetics Rather than simply attaching technology to clothing, the project investigates garments that have electronics built directly into them resulting in a new aesthetic of form and behavior that become a core part of our expression, our identity, and our individuality.

Marketability Very few wearable technology projects successfully target consumers outside of the sports, medical and military fields. We are just not there yet. The project aims to generate market desirability for a wide variety of people to use in everyday life.

Project Site: Go to the project site to see the rest of the concept. Let me know what you think! I would love to hear form you.

Press: CNET, FastCompany, fashioningtech, Alison Lewis @ Smart Fabrics Conference Miami, talk2myshirt, poshspace.ru, podcastingnews.com, ecouterre.com, geeksugar.com, San Francisco Chronicle, podcastingnews.com, notcouture.com, netdiver.net, Inventor Spot, Gizmodo, Engadget, DVICE, Tuvie, TechFlash, Protect Your Bubble, Trendhunter, TechNews, Artefact, Fashion Industry Network, newwebpick.com issue #30

Interviews: AOL Stylelist, iHeartSwitch,

Exploring the potential of electro-active polymers

University of the Arts PhD Student Aurélie Mossé is exploring the potential of electro-active polymers. "Pursuing my journey through energy-harvesting and self-actuated textiles, I am currently exploring the potential of electro-active polymers in the design of responsive textiles, in collaboration with Dr Guggi Kofod from the University of Potsdam, Germany, Departement of Applied Condensed Matter Physics. Electro-active polymers are plastics changing shape when electricity pass through it. Here you can see some first experiments with basic geometries, where the polymer is stretching when electricity is applied." Continue reading on Textile Future Research.

Image from Textile Future Research

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 ›

Conductive woven textiles

Clemens Winkler is exploring conductive-woven cloth that he creates on a traditional textile loom. He uses conductive thread that he weaves into the pattern of the textile. This allows electronic circuitry to be integrated directly into the fabric, which results in flexible and washable electronic-ready textiles.

Since the conductive thread is thicker and a slightly different color than the base thread, Winkler explores the aesthetic of circuitry by using the difference in properties to establish a pattern. The result is a beautiful pattern that is also electronically functional.

Exploring Smart Textiles

CuteCircuit hosted a workshop at Interface-University of Ulster, Belfast, that explored smart textiles and soft circuits. The workshop included textile designers from Interface Research Lab and resulted in some beautiful color-changing, shapeshifting, and light pattern textiles.

Rather than simply attaching displays to clothing, imagine a line of garments with gorgeous ambient displays like this integrated into the patterns that react and change depending on input from your environment or the people around.

Additional photos via Francesca [at] CuteCircuit's photostream.

Low-res soft textile displays

Maggie Orth, founder of International Fashion Machines, has been working with soft computing and e-textiles. Her project, Running Plaid, explores the use of thermochromatic inks (color changing inks) incorporated into the textiles. The behavior is a fascinating visual shift in pattern and color coming from the yarns woven into the textile itself that behaves similar to a low-res textile display.

The opportunity is ripe for creating ambient soft displays integrated directly into the aesthetics of garments. Imagine weaving in RGB threads (red, green, and blue that make up the color pixels used in a color monitor display, for instance) to create a full color low-res soft textile screen that can be woven and sewn into any shape and incorporated directly into the pattern construction of any garment.