Talk to the hand...or ring

AnalogueAesthetics creates hand-crafted accessories inspired by all things mechanical, chemical and electrical. One of their products that can be purchased on Etsy is this gorgeous ring that includes an integrated microphone. What I like about this design is that the artist wasn't afraid to let aspects of the technology directly inform the aesthetics. In this case, the grated pattern found on old microphones creates the main aesthetic texture that is also functional. I'd love to see the gestures that people make recording audio from this device.

If you're looking to buy one, it looks like they're sold out. Contact the designer here and request a backorder! *drool*

Capturing moments of excitement

(image source)

Designer Diana Eng created this heartbeat hoodie that captures moments of excitement throughout your day. It's equipped with a heart rate sensor and a camera that snaps a photo whenever your heart rate increases. The photos automatically upload to a blog that you can refer to or share with your friends. According to Eng, it is intended as a form of involuntary blogging.

What I love about this project is that it uses wearable technology as a way to sense and capture both reactions with our bodies and the context of our surroundings. Designers should constantly explore how technology can enable or enhance those relationships. Heartbeat hoodie succeeds in merging body sensing, environmental context, and social communication into a simple and beautiful concept.

Evoking memories of relationships

Designer Elena Corchero focuses on creating work that explores lost values through the combination of clothing and technology. "By evoking the beauty and melancholy of craft, her work challenges the aesthetics and function of smart fabrics emphasizing the emotional value of keepsakes and garments." One of her many beautiful projects is WhisPiral, a gorgeous spiral-shaped shawl that carries whispers of your loved ones. It explores how technology can enhance the way garments and accessories evoke memories of these relationships.

The circuitry is integrated directly in the textile and allows your friends and loved ones to record short audio messages at different locations. These are then "whispered" back when you either wrap the shawl around you or if you caress a different area of the garment.

GPS-embedded lingerie

Lucia Loria, a Brazillian designer, has created a line of lingerie called Find me if you can that includes an embedded GPS tracking system and it has caused quite a stir. According to the designer via Wired: "It's not a modern chastity belt, says the designer, but instead could become a lifesaver, as a safety device on a night out."

Now, my first question is why would I want a GPS tracking system in my underwear? This is froth with red flags and it seems to be an example of where concept and implementation do not meet. If safety is the goal, I challenge the designer to push the concept, find ways to understand what the real problems/needs are, and solve those.

Read more on the controversy here.

Headphones in your hoodie

Timothy Dubitsky created hood.e, a jacket with integrated headphones that broadcasts music into your ears from any mp3 player you plug into it. With an aim towards safety when walking through urban environments, Dubitsky integrated the headphones directly into the fabric of the hoodie so it plays music in your ears without blocking everything else out.

I've seen a lot of jackets with integrated headphones. Unfortunately, most of them simply allow for you to weave your own headphones into your garment to hide the wires and to keep it in place. Kudos to Dubitsky for designing a solution that is functional, solves a problem of safety, and that integrates the technology directly into the garment. My only question: will it handle the wash?

Additional source via Core77

Dressing in technology

Jean-Baptiste Labrune, Dana Gordon, Michel De Meere, and Dirk Van Oosterbosch hosted a workshop called Designing Hybrid Wearables at Mediamatic in Amsterdam. The workshop aims to focus on merging communication technology with the things you wear. Here's how they describe it:

"More and more objects are being connected to networks, and become carriers, collectors, and transmitters of various kinds of data. ... We're not just talking about pimping your outfit - we're investigating the electronic extrapolation of the role of clothing and fashion. And we're looking at transferring possibilities of other communication devices to clothing, where they may find a more natural home..."

The topics they explored ranged from clothes as media, social possibilities of RFID technology, tangible interfaces, conductive materials, and seamlessly integrating communication technology into garments.