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.

Touch-Sensitive Apparel

Yasmine Abbas and Cati Vaucelle are currently working on a project called Touch-Sensitive. Through their low-fidelity prototypes, they are asking the question: "What if objects that people carry with them and even carry on them could offer this sensory comfort that they seem to seek? ... Touch·Sensitive allows the diffusion of tactile information through computational and mechanical technologies. It is a computerized touch therapy apparel whose modular pieces can be integrated within the clothing... [and] provides individuals with a sensory cocoon."

What intrigues me about this investigation is that they aim to seamlessly integrate the technology directly into the fabrics so that it's hidden but functional. The technology then informs the aesthetics of both form and behavior, without feeling like an add-on.

Digitally printed fashion

Mashallah Design and Linda Kostowski have created incredibly beautiful garments using an unfolding polygon method that is commonly used by industrial designers to explore dimensional forms through paper models. It's a terrific example of an innovative use of technology that directly informs the aesthetics of the garment. Here's how they describe the process:

"Three people are portrayed digitally by scanning their bodies. The output of this scan is a 3D file, which resolution is defined by the amount of polygons, similar to pixels in a bitmap. ... The 3D data is turned into 2D sewing patterns by the use of the unfolding function which is a common tool in the industrial design process to make paper models with, the single fabric pieces and the inner interface which defines the edges are cut out by the help of a lasercutter."

Source via Makezine.

Skin as the electronic platform

Philips Design has a series of projects that explore the body and skin as the platform for electronics. One of the project called SkinTiles by Lucy McRae, consists of electronic sensing jewelry that adheres directly to the skin. As described by Philips, "It is a new genre of product; a generation of wireless, stick-on body sensors that re-define traditional body adornment."

In another project called Skin:Tattoo, the technology is directly integrated into the skin to form a reactive tattoo. The tattoo responds to touch, which changes and morphs the shape and design. Together, the projects make a statement on the sensuality and intimate aspect of technology that we wear as our second skin, and in this case, as our skin itself. They also explore an implementation of technology that is directly integrated into the aesthetics of our own bodies.

A soundscape that wraps around you

Dana Gordon and Alejandro Zamudio Sanchez designed Undercover blanket for the Droog exhibit Garden of Delight. The project is an ultra soft blanket that wirelessly connects to any music source in your home and plays a soundscape as it wraps around you.

The act of wrapping yourself in sound is quite charming and calming. Even more charming are the volume controls integrated into the top corners that use a "tugging" gesture. Tug at them, much like you do when you try and pull the blanket closer to you, and it adjusts the volume. The speakers are also nicely integrated into the aesthetics of the blanket making them look much like traditional quilting buttons.

More photos of the project and the making of it found here via Danka's Flickr set.

Fibers harvest energy from movement

On the never-ending quest to find an alternative source of power that is efficient and portable, researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology are exploring piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowires that harvest energy from the wearer's natural movement. Here's how they describe it on nanoarchitecture.net:

"The researchers constructed pairs of textile fibers covered with piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowires that generate electricity in response to applied mechanical stress. The resulting current flow from many fiber pairs woven into a shirt or jacket could allow the wearer’s body movement to power a range of portable electronic devices."

Now, imagine if the nanowires are woven into energy-generating textiles that are seamlessly integrated directly into the aesthetics, cut, and flow of a garment.