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Take a silicon keyboard and a pair of jeans and you can also attempt this. Zach, the brave builder, took a laser cutter to make the key holes and then stitched in the keyboard. Since the keyboard had to be cut, only the left hand works. For a DIY im sure someone can figure out how to get the other side to work. It is cool to see people attempt to make wearable tech. Keep it coming!
Textronics, a leader in textile sensor technology, is now offering a DIY kit for people interested in developing heart rate monitoring textiles. This marks the first time that Textronics is offering and official kit for purchase.
The Developers Kit offer 12 textile sensors, a variety of knit tubes, wrist cuffs and chest straps. Additionally they include conductive thread and 2 transmitters with the kit. These transmitters are compatible with most analog heart rate monitors like Polar.
The kit which sells for $100.00 is a very thorough kit to help anyone start anyone get started in the vital monitoring garment game. This can open the door to many fitness and sporting tech garments. It is always great when an industry leader can offer these kits to the general public. Making it easier for ..read more
QIO Systems is now offering textile touch pads for fashion fabricators. Using Elektex and SOFTswitch technology, and is completely fabric. That means that it can be washed and dry cleaned. Even though it is washable, it is rated at up to 100,000 keypresses.
Next to the fabric keypad QIO Systems offers a wide range of electronic modules with control functions for the iPod, Bluetooth cell phones, wearable radio, Push-to-talk solutions and complete solution for integrated heating and integrated lighting into garments and soft goods.
Fibretronic has released a new series of controls. The FTXS series is a soft control keypad that is able to be integrated into textiles. The super soft keypad is targeted for mobile devices.This is designed to work directly with Fibretronics CONNECTED-wear modules for iPod, iPhone and MP3. These Fibretronic products are found in many smart textiles sold.
Brandon Laskowski a Northwest senior marketing major found his passion for sneakers in 2001. In 2005 due to the demand, Brandon started selling his customized Nike Dunks online under the name Evolved Footwear.Some of the techniques include textured faux snake and gator skins, engraving, peel aways, light up, fabric, painting and more. Shown here are the ‘Illuminated Confusion‘ Nike Dunk features a pattern print with neon green light-up lateral sides that either blink or glow. They are powered by a AAA battery and cost about $400.00. All upgrades takes 2-3 weeks and are all hand made.
A few days ago we wrote about the HandTalk glove designed by Carnegie Mellon students. We also thought that was an original concept. False. Turns out in 2001 the concept was created by Ryan Patterson.
Patterson imagined this concept while sitting in a restaurant and seen a def patron having a hard time conveying an order. Looking to make this happen for a science fair, he began his mission. A mere 7 months later his Sign Language Translator concept was complete.
What does this mean? Ryan’s Sign Language Translator was a Grand Award winner in the 2001 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the first place winner in the individual category at the 2001 Siemens Westinghouse Science & Technology Competition, he received top ..read more
Mediamatic Amsterdam hosted a workshop called “Designing Hybrid Wearables” last month. The team using the Lilypad Arduino, Leah Buchely DIY e-textile system, made a creative cat/cuddle bag.The bag created by Anouk Wipprecht, David Morgan (both Netherlands), Nick Lesley (New York) & Hans Gunter Lock (Estonia), is a substitute for the comforting feeling of a cat sitting on your lap. When you stroke the bag, it will simulate breathing, warm up, and make soothing sounds. All of these things can only be felt is the bag is held close or cuddled. There are even to two LED eyes on the bag.This bag has some serious character. Here comes a new category of interactive bags.
Fibretronic made a blazing start into the 2008 Wearable Electronic year with the introduction of the CONNECTED-wear program.
The uniqueness of this new system from Fibretronic is the separation of the textile component, the keypad that goes into clothing and fashion accessories, from the control electronics, the small box that is talking to the iPod, cellphone or audio player in your pocket or bag.
The consumer activates his/her garment or bag according the needs by purchasing an electronic module from the CONNECTED-wear product range which will be available from selected retailers and online.
Initially the CONNECTED-wear modules will be available for iPod, MP3 player and music phones.
The flexibility of selecting after the purchase of a garment or bag the product compatibility comes from the standardized system of the CONNECTED-wear ..read more
Fibretronic’s Fiddler joystick system known from the Levi’s Redwire Jeans enables you to upgrade your outfit to work with your iPod.
The joystick module comes together with the iPod interface electronics in a blister pack. It allows for easy attachment and removal of the iPod controller to any clothing.
The first company to implement this product and create a clothing line is ToBe Technology, a Swedish manufacturer of hip snow sportswear.
ToBe’s iPod enabled Jackets are designed for easy integration of Fibretronic’s iPod control module giving their customers the flexibility to interchange the control system between different garments in ToBe’s product range.
The module itself has on its base Velcro which allows the attachment on any type of garment or soft good like bags where there is a patch of Velcro and provisions to ..read more
Wu-Lee has created an awesome LED Hat.
The LED has uses a mesh that carries 1024 LEDs! That’s a lot of wiring and soldering. The construction notes are a very interesting and a inspirational read. The great thing about this concept is that anything can be displayed on the matrix of 16 (vertical) and 64 (horizontal around the hat) pixels. Images, icons, text, anything can be visualized in animated form to express yourself, light up your party or simple use your hat to advertise. Now that’s what I call working with the hat head.
The integration looks very neat and clean and the animation that can be seen in the demo video give a very powerful idea of the potential that is inside this Hat concept.
Wu-Lee’s construction notes might ..read more