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
Posted in: Components, Conductive Yarn, DIY - Corner, Do-It-Yourself Industry Leaders, Intelligent Clothes, Safety, Sports, Tech Clothing Industry, Textile Circuit, Textile Switch, Textronics, Vitals Monitoring, Wearable Tech
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.
Posted in: Bluetooth, Button/Switch, Components, DIY - Corner, Do-It-Yourself Industry Leaders, ElekTex Smart Fabric, Mobile Phone Integration, QIO Systems, Super Smart Fabrics, Tech Clothing Industry, Textile Circuit, Textile Switch, Textiles, Two Way Radio, Waterproof, Wearable Computing, iPhone Integration, iPod Integration
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
Posted in: Concept Design, Display, Do-It-Yourself Industry Leaders, Gloves, Super Smart Fabrics, Textile Circuit, Textile Switch, Textiles, Wearable Computing, e-Textiles
Leah Buechley created in cooperation with Sparkfun the next generation of e-textile modules for the Wearable Electronic DIY enthusiasts: the LilyPad-Arduino set.
To introduce Leah Buechely might not be needed for our regular readers and everyone interested into Wearable Electronics just so much, Leah is a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Colorado and a member of the Craft Technology Group. Her research interests in electronic textiles, wearable computing and human computer interaction paved her way to create the now famous LED tank top.
Since then, Leah continuously developed further her tool kit for e-textiles which resulted in the latest and most sophisticated DIY kit for e-textiles I have ever seen before, the LilyPad.
The LilyPad is designed with large connecting pads, to create an interface between small electronic ..read more
Posted in: Button/Switch, Components, Textile Circuit, e-Textiles
Talking about Do-It-Yourself in Wearable Electronics means talking about the work of Leah Buechley. She is the Master of e-textiles and created over the last few years a exiting range of ideas, designs and DIY instructions for e-textiles.
Leah introduced a construction kit for electronic textiles in spring 2006. A set of stitchable controllers, sensors and actuators that enable novices to build their own electronic textiles. The different elements are created by using her fabric PCB technique: microcontrollers, sensors and other devices that are soldered to fabric PCBs. The finished elements can be stitched together with conductive thread into custom Wearable Electronic clothing or other fashion accessories.
Have a look to the excellent guidelines and explanations Leah is giving on her site to build your first e-textile kit.
..read more
Posted in: DIY - Corner, Do-It-Yourself Industry Leaders, Textile Circuit, Textiles, e-Textiles
Starting our DIY Wearable Electronic series, we introduce you first to another outstanding expert and promoter of Textile Electronic, Mouna Andraos.
Mouna created, based on inspirations from Leah Buechley, a platform for everyone to learn from her technique to combine electronic and textiles. Her work is presented on electroniccraft.org from where we have taken the following intoduction to Textile Electronics.
Introduction to the Soft Circuit
1 – Overview
Building circuits using fabric and thread and replace the soldering iron with a needle. The results are washable, flexible, light and soft circuits. The resulting possibilities are endless (almost). These circuits rely heavily on the use of conductive thread, you should consider the type of application and signal you need to transmit before trying to build anything out of thread.
2 – Materials
Fabric
Conductive thread
Fray check
Tailor chalk
Regular thread
Multimeter
3 ..read more
Posted in: DIY - Corner, HowTo's, Textile Circuit, e-Textiles
