The wearable technology event calendar is filling up rapidly in 2011, a sure sign for the growing popularity and awareness of eTextile developments.

Ricardo O’Nascimento at Popkalab is holding a 3 day workshop, running form April 27th to 29th in Sede Tecnológica de la UNIA, Málaga/Spain.

The aim of this workshop is to introduce participants to wearable technology, special flexible and conductive material (conductive fabrics, threads, yarns and other soft and squishy materials), basic electronics and to develop a wearable project using the learned techniques.

The workshop will start with an introduction to the universe of wearable technology and flexible circuitry techniques and to think about its utilization and potentials.

The participants will learn how to attach electronic components to cloths using conductive thread and fabric instead of soldering iron and wires and to explore the possibilities how wearable technology can enhance the functionality or aesthetic of clothing.

One of the topics Ricardo will put up throughout the workshop is the question: why we would ever want to put electronics in our clothes in the first place?

A very interesting question, a question I often get challenged and I would love to be there and participate in that discussions. As I am not able to be there personally I hope Ricardo will share with us some of the reasoning of the workshop participants.

Please check out the Workshop page for details and registration.

Aniomagic a company dedicated to provide components and ideas to the e-textile community is constantly expanding their portfolio in both directions.

On the components side, Aniomagic recently added to their online shop a DIY Kit for the temperature sensing tapestry we introduced last year. The Kit contains everything you need to crated this unique, decorative window curtain that will tell you with different colors if the sun shine you see outside is just nice looking or it is really warm outside.

As I am currently in Europe I see on my own how foolish it can be to associate even at the end of May sunshine outside does not mean nice, warm temperatures. On a side note: I have right now around 52 degree (11 degree Celsius) outside by a blue, sunny sky.

If you want to add a color coded temperature indication into your T-Shirt, Aniomagic has a short instructions with e-textile diagram on their site with all the needed components available in the shop as well.

Cute little, simple e-textile projects easy to follow with the option to conveniently order all components needed at one place/shop.

Our first wearable electronic book introduction for 2009 is: Smart clothes and wearable technology, ready for pre-order now and becomes available end of this week.

Smart clothes and wearable technology is a collaboration between J. McCann from University of Wales Newport and D. Bryson from University of Derby, UK.

The authors investigate in four parts the emerging area of research within the fashion and textile industry by providing a comprehensive review of the wearer’s requirements, the technologies and materials available for the design and production of smart clothing.

Much research and creativity has been done into wearable technologies but this book promises to look into ‘wearablilty‘ and ‘manufacturability‘ as well.

Wearability is often challenged when it comes to wearable electronic or interactive fashion. I am not claiming to know what have to be done to make interactive fashion ‘wearable’ for consumers as wearability in the context of ‘what and how to wear’ is as colorful and diverse as the population is on our planet – with or with out integrated technology.

Getting another view via this book should at least enable us to increase the understanding of what should be done to increase the acceptance of interactive fashion in future.

The four chapters of the book include:
Part one assesses the design and materials for smart clothing and wearable
technology.

Part two then examines the general requirements for smart textiles, such as the
health requirements for wearable technologies.

Part three reviews the types of technologies available for the development of
smart clothing

Part four concludes with a discussion of the manufacture of smart garments.

Co-author Jeane McCann who leads the Textile Institute’s Special Interest Group (SIG) in Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology at the University of Wales, has extensive experience and knowledge in the wearable electronic domain which makes this book a ‘must read’ for all involved or interested into wearable electronic.

The Interactive table cloth concept from Clemens Winkler, a German student of art and design at Burg Giebichenstein creates ‘signs of time as traces on a surface’ as he describes the starting point for the Interactive table cloth project.

The magic aspect of the interactive table cloth comes from the unexpected appearance of marks during interaction with the table cloth when putting a hand on the table or placing items like coffee mugs or glasses.

The interactive table cloth records the last interaction for example a dinner with your friend, a party or celebration. When you come back and active the table cloth, you will see the ‘sings of times’ passed on your table cloth.

Clemens used two technologies from the e-textile toolbox: conductive yarns controlled by a LilyPad unit and thermo chromic ink that changes color by changing the temperature.

You might have guessed already: placing a conductive / resistive yarn beneath the Thermo chromic ink pattern triggers a color change along the conductive yarn.

To activate the heat generation, Clemens integrated sensors all over the interactive table cloth so when something is placed on the table a pre-defined area of pattern will become visible by changing the color, leaving the magical sign of time.

The table cloth is build up of three layers, the top layer with thermo chromic ink printing, the middle layer containing the conductive threads forming the signs and the bottom layer with the e-textile parts around the LilyPad which coordinates the sensor input and heating. A highly inspirational work I strongly recommend to have a look at. Clemens published a very detailed overview on how he made this table cloth interactive on his ‘digital traces’ blog.

The Interactive table cloth is by far more elegant and magical way to leave signs of life on a table cloth then leaving your sign mark by spilling your coffee – right?!