A variety of DIY fabric and knitted sensors

[gallery] For all you DIY enthusiast out there, Kobakant has a collection of very useful fabric and knitted sensors equipped with easy-to-understand instructions on how to make all of them. From knitted pressure sensors to conductive pompoms, this collection shows you how to make your electronics out of soft and wearable materials.

From left to right:

Crochet or knitted simple pressure sensors allow you to change the aesthetics of your pressure sensors and run them through the wash (main image). Fabric bend sensor replaces a traditional bend sensor so that you can wash it. Knitted stretchy cable allows you to connect your knitted sensors. Neoprene LED light pouch is a soft and sewable container for your leds. Conductive pompoms replace your wiring with cute and fuzzy conductive yarn. Circular knit stretch sensor changes value when you pull and stretch it.

More on kobakant.at. Photos from kobakant.at.

A dress that doubles as an eco-warning system

[gallery] Diffus founders Hanne-Louise Johannesen and Michel Guglielmi have designed and created this gorgeous dress that doubles as an eco-warning system. In collaboration with the design company and fashion designer Tine M. Jensen, embroiderer Forster Rohner and IT consultancy The Alexandar Institute, the dress titled Climate Dress includes embedded sensors that measures carbon dioxide in the air. 104 LEDs are sprinkled throughout the top of the garment and surrounded by embroidery. Light brightens and dims in a subtle "breathing" pattern to reflect how much pollution is in the air.

"The Climate Dress is made of conductive embroidery, over a hundred tiny LED lights inserted into the embroidey, a CO2 sensor and an Arduino Lilypad microprocessor. The LEDs visualize the level of CO2 in the nearby surroundings and are powered through the embroidery..." continue reading on diffus.dk.

Main image from this month's (April 2010) Surface Magazine. Other images from diffus.dk.

Technologies that are transforming sports

[gallery] The sports field is constantly innovating in wearable technology and it is one of the many fields that I absolutely love. The possibilities to aid athletes and optimize performance are endless. "Athletes capitalize on advances from engineering, material science, biomechanics, communication and information technologies to maximize training and performance. ...Technologies are transforming every aspect of sport, including coaching, judging, even the design of sports arenas and spectator experience." (source)

Here are a few of the technologies that are either in use today or that are being explored for future applications (from left photo to right):

Wearable computers - are clothes that are embedded with electronics that monitor the athletes heart rate, breathing pattern, temperature, hydration and more.

Ingestible computers - such as thermometer pills wirelessly transmits body temperature.

Tool-less manufacturing - analyzes body geometry and allows direct digital manufacturing rather than molded dies for a true custom fit.

Biomimetics - borrowing techniques from nature to enhance performance such as the finely divided setae found on gecko's toes allowing the animal to stick to anything, even glass.

Carbon nanotechnology - artificial muscles made of carbon nanotubes that contract at faster speeds than human muscles allowing the wearer to adopt super human strength.

Computational fluid dynamics - using 3D body scanners, engineers can analyze skin friction and create body suites that optimize performance in air and water.

Reactive materials - protecting athletes from risky sports, materials with nanoparticles become instantly rigid as soon as kinetic energy is applied.

Continue reading on Discovery Tech. Images from Discovery Tech.

The growing trend of geometric patterning

[gallery] Fashion designer Irina Shaposhnikova created this gorgeous collection called Crystallographica, which consists of garments inspired by geological formations of crystals and minerals. The application of geometrical patterns is making a comeback in design aesthetics lately. Philips Design created a beautiful exploration for their Design Probes series called Fractal: Living Jewelry, which was also inspired by crystalline formations.

Opposite of natural geometric formations, some designers are allowing the fabrication tools to create geometric patterns. Rem Koolhaas' United Nude created Low-resolution modeled footwear that resulted in strong geometric patterns. And Mashallah Design and Linda Kostowski created digitally printed garments using an unfolding polygon method that is commonly used by industrial designers to explore dimensional forms through paper models.

I can't help but imagine using the simple geometric shapes as a platform for electronics. For example, could the material in Shaposhnikova strict triangular-patterned slacks be replaced with solar panels to harvest energy? Or could a triangle or two in her dresses be replaced with a display?

Read more about Crystallographica on pleatfarm.com. Photos from pleatfarm.com.

Sabine Seymour talks about the future of wearables

Piem Wirtz interviews Sabine Seymour at V2_lab as they discuss the history of wearable and what they think will come next in 2010 and beyond. Seymour gives a brief, yet intriguing analysis of where she thinks fashionable technology (as she defines "wearables") is heading. "Before 1995 we had the Steve Mann type of wearables, made from an engineer-technology perspective by computer science people. In 1995 Maggie Orth made her Firefly dress... In 2010 we need to have a second wave, which is the wave of well designed, well executed fashionable wearables that have the ability to convey a story..."

...and reach a broader market. Seymour talks about how designers, artists and DIYers use labs for experimentation, which aid in the refinement of their craft and build knowledge. She then goes on to discuss what it will take to get the explorations to the next level and toward a broader audience.

This interview is definitely worth the read. Continue reading on V2_Lab.

More about Sabine Seymour: Fashionable Technology (her book): fashionabletechnology.org Moondial (her studio): moondial.com Photo from V2_Lab

A Fairytale Fashion Collection Debuts at Eyebeam NYC

[gallery]Fashion technologist Diana Eng of fairytalefashion.org showcases her debut technology-infused fashion collection at Eyebeam NYC. Here's how she describes the collection:

The Fairytale Fashion Collection uses technology to create magical clothing in real life. Electronics, mechanical engineering, and mathematics are used to create clothing with blooming flowers, changing colors and transforming shapes. Research and development for the Fairytale Fashion collection are shared online at FairytaleFashion.org as an educational tool that teaches about science, math, and technology through fashion. Fairytale Fashion was created with the support of Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, the leading not-for-profit art and technology center in the United States. Continue reading on Flickr.

Photos from flickr feature the following projects:

Twinkle Dress and Twinkle Caridgan LED circuits are hand embroidered with silverized thread and a custom sewable circuit board Twinkle Pad, developed specially for the Fairytale Fashion Collection. Twinkle Dress's removable grey silk chiffon twinkle pad circuit overlays washable black cotton American Apparel dreww. Twinkle Cardigan's removable black wool melton shoulder patches overlay a cotton sweater.

Twinkle Skirt LED circuits are hand embroidered with silverized thread and a custom sewable circuit board Twinkle Pad, developed specially for the Fairytale Fashion Collection.

Puff Sleeve Jacket Lavender cotton canvas jacket with deployable structure pleated sleeves.

Inflatable Dress Cream silk chiffon, draped over plastic inflatables and white silk flowers.

More on Diana Eng.