Wearable Electronic and Security

It was hard not to hear about the Wearable (Electronic) art from Star Simpson, an MIT student, that caused a security alert on Logan International Airport last Friday.

I am not going to comment on the freedom art needs or takes, nor the creative free room ones needs to progress.

The reason for me to pick this up is to avoid people thinking Wearable Electronic, the great passion of talk2myShirt, is in the same category as this recent demonstrated piece of art.

Stitching a breadboard, commonly used for electronic design development and quick testing, onto a T-Shirt does not make it a Wearable Electronic consumer item, it is what it was originally designed and created for: a work of art.

Using a work of art, any work of art, in public places requires to take into account social rules, call it etiquette, and more important, consideration for safety and security. Airports are very sensitive against any remotely suspicious looking object and persons. This is correct and gives us a relative safe environment and travel nowadays.

Although I can not speak for the majority of wearable Electronic products because I do not own (yet) that many but one I have extensive experience and use: the Nike C.O.R.E. Backpack with iPod control.

I have passed through airports in US, Europe and Asia many times, the C.O.R.E. has made at least 50,000 air miles by now and I had never ever any problems. Once, a security officer was asking how the C.O.R.E. works but this was more because of her curiosity then for security concerns.

The bottom line here is: well integrated and clear functionality does not make Wearable Electronic items a security treat. Star might check out talk2myShirt if she wants to use the latest, cutting edge fashion technology without attracting the attention of security officers.

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