Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shirt(or something vaguely resembling a shirt) that monitored our heart rate at all times? Well, wait. There is! Researchers at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid have created an intelligent eT-shirt that purports to do just that.
Hey you hypochondriacs out there. It is intended for hospital use, to make it easier on doctors to monitor their patients. Also, it’s not just for your heart. The shirt is embedded with electrodes that monitor its wearer’s vitals, and a removable thermometer and accelerometer for the collection of temperature and positioning data.
This has already been tested in a hospital in Madrid and it passed with flying colors. No word on its bedside manner though. You never know with shirts. Sometimes they can be real sticks ..read more
Posted in: Concept Design, Shirt, Vitals Monitoring
The gas mask is often a large cumbersome device that is just annoying to use. That will be a thing of the past if researchers at Cornell University have their say. They are developing gas mask technology that will make the masks as thin as clothing. Why? Because it will be clothing.
Senior apparel-design student Jennifer Keane worked with the school’s Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory to create a fabric hood and mask that selectively traps noxious fumes and odors. The whole thing was actually funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, so you know its legit.
The tech uses clustered crystalline compounds known as metal organic framework (MOF) molecules to form nano-size “cages” for the offending gases. What does all of this mean? Well, one day all of our clothes could resist toxic gases ..read more
Posted in: Clothing, Wearable Tech
Now this is useful tech. Hyeona Yang and Joshua Noble have devised a raincoat, dubbed Raincatch, that catches rain water and turns it into clean drinking water on the fly. This could actually, you know, help people.
It catches the rainwater and charcoal filters it, thereby purifying it. Then you affix the end of the spigot/straw and you drink up. Elegant simplicity at its finest. This is perfect for polluted areas where drinking water may not always be the best life choice.
Of course, the two designers have stated this is just in the initial stages for now. Don’t go to Spencer’s Gifts looking for one or anything. Not yet anyways.
Posted in: Concept Design, Jacket, Water Hydration
Sure, there are some cool dresses and gowns out there. But do they glow in the dark? Do they? Designer Halston’s new piece can answer that question with a resounding yes.
The gown can function with glow or without and it is assuredly a pretty frock in any situation. What possible use is there for a sequin gown that glows in the dark you ask? Well, imagine you are at a high society function and you return home to find the power out and a burglar afoot! You can simply power on the glow and stop that dastardly miscreant before he makes off with your precious jewels. You know, or you can just look cool.
Of course, all of that gosh darned glowing comes with a price. This gown costs about $4,000.
Posted in: Dress, Halston
We all love video game history. Our childhoods were no doubt filled with lazy summer days of Super Nintendo and road trips filled with Super Mario Land on the Gameboy family of portable consoles. So, it relieves us to say, you can now relive your childhood summers in a more adult-friendly manner. Introducing this Gameboy-themed swimsuit.
The suit was designed and sold by Black Milk, an online fashion vendor. As you can see, it includes a control pad, game buttons and even start and select buttons. This is the perfect bathing suit to exclaim to the world “Yes, I’m a geek but I’m also a hot girl.” At any rate, gaming nerds will be drooling all over you. I’m sure you all want that.
No word on actual pricing as of ..read more
Posted in: Black Milk, Swimwear
O’Neill is at it again. The fashionwear company has announced O’Neill 365, the activewear collection for women that has some tech bells and whistles. This line is designed with active in mind. In short, it’s sportswear. However, it’s not just any old sportswear. No that would be too boring.
The magic is in the fabric. The line is made from their patented 3XDRY fabric, which has a water-repellent exterior and absorbent interior to eliminate sweat marks completely. Additional tech features include anti-static fabric, odor-resistant treatments, UV30+ fabric to protect the skin, wind-resistant and water-resistant characteristics, HB3 headphones and wicking technology to promote dryness.
The line doesn’t hit stores until Spring 2012, so don’t start camping outside of your favorite retailer just yet. Good things come to those who wait, after all.
Posted in: O’Neill, Sportswear, Water Resistant
Not many dresses interact with mobile phones. This is about to change, thanks to Icelandic fashion designer Thorunn Arnadottir. The designer’s new line of dresses uses the magic of QR codes to turn each dress into a walking, talking information machine.
How does it work? Well, you may notice in the photo that beads are working together to create QR codes near the shoulders. All you need to do, then, is snap a photo of the code with your mobile phone. You’ll then be transmitted all manner of relevant information on the dress and the designer. Really cool, right?
The line of dresses have been appropriately named “QR U.” They are just for show for now but, who knows, perhaps they will show up at your local boutique really soon. You can ..read more
Posted in: Dress, Mobile Phone Integration
LED displays keep popping up in the most random of places. But, come on, a lab coat?! Haven’t seen that one before. This ridiculously cool coat was designed by Dave Forbes and it is, essentially, a wearable video display that doubles as a swanky coat. Not bad.
Basically, a bunch of LEDs wrap around the lab coat, giving it the air of being an actual, moving television. It works by being plugged into an iPod or DVD player, and it’s all powered by a 12V battery. It will make its world-wide debut at this year’s Burning Man festival. Yikes, we bet someone pees on it.
Wanna see this bad boy in action? Click here!
Posted in: Concept Design, Jacket, LED, Wearable Tech
