Archive for the 'Textile Switch' Category

Great news for all Wearable Electronic DIY enthusiasts, Students and their Professors and Fashion Designer.

Eleksen offers now next to the Evaluation Kit the ElekTex keypads and the electronics module for iPod control.

This is music in our ears. Finally, everyone interested in experiencing the often mentioned fabric keyboard can now use them to realize own design ideas.

Fashion students will be able to visualize the actual functionality of their Wearable Electronic creations to make fully functional samples but also to find out how to use and utilize the potential of the ElekTex sensor technology.

Two types of sensors are available to choose from: the first type has 5 buttons with a shorter textile cable ribbon and the second type offers more flexibility by being able to define up to 6 buttons together with variable button size and scroll control. The scroll control can be over the top of conventional press button area.

Together with an electronics module, these sensors are designed to be easy to integrate into wearable accessories, garments and bags. They can be placed in a variety of positions in all type of clothing or bags.

The sensors cost $12.- and $15.- each and the electronics module $30.-. Check out more details of the sensor and electronics module in Eleksen’s online store.

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Eleksen launched their Evaluation Kit targeted towards designers, academics, and journalists to get a first-hand experience with ElekTex® technology.

The ElekTex evaluation kit is designed to explore the interface design for interactive soft goods products, including consumer and industrial apparel and accessories.

The Evaluation Kit enables users to experience and learn how to program smart fabric interfaces using button, scroll and gesture controls. It represents an ideal first step for those looking to develop commercial applications using ElekTex.

ElekTex is a unique electro-conductive fabric touch pad optimized for the creation of flexible, durable, and rugged fabric interfaces.

The Evaluation Kit consists of a standard ElekTex sensor and its associated control electronics module which connects to a Windows® PC via a USB port. Also included in the kit are three fabric overlays which together with the appropriate software drivers provide application examples of the ElekTex sensor used as a Keyboard, Drawing Pad and Multimedia Controls.

The Evaluation Kit can be ordered directly from Eleksen’s new online shop for 500.- US$. A discount of 50% is offered to academic and non-profit organizations or professionals.

[source: businesswire]

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Because Wearable Electronic is mainly about merging textiles with electronic and because textiles are the most common material we human beings are in contact with every day in many different forms and situations. Therefore, it is no wonder that sooner or later other products that are not on our bodies but made of textiles, using Intelligent Textile or Smart Fabric technologies, are emerging.

Point in case: International Fashion Machines, short ‘IFM‘, has created light dimmer for your room lightning, based on Electro Textiles.

IFM has a wide range of different colors (see above) and different styles (see blow).

The switches are made from IFM’s patented electronic textile that magically senses your touch. Gently touch the electronic textile (the silver grey part) and the light changes the intensity like by any other dimmer. But on this switch, you touch a warm, soft material and not a plastic or metal plate.

IMF’s electronic textile is designed to resist stains, dirt and bacteria. It has anti-microbial and stain resistant treatment and needs no cleaning. Last but not least important: it is made of 90% post consumer recycled materials!

For the DIY enthusiasts, IFM is offering - you guessed it, a Do-It-Yourself switch kit to let your fantasy complete freedom.

This DIY possibility is one of the aspects we love very much in the Wearable Electronic: it’s relatively easy to do with very simple ‘every day’ tools and materials except the Smart Fabric, but that is provided by IFM.

The different switches and the DIY-Kit is available directly by IFM and cost $ 99.- each

Unleash the designer inside yourself and give a soft and smart touch to your home.

[via: techwear]

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Whatever electrical function we want to integrate in our clothing, it has to have at least one switch, to switch this function on and off.

To make an electrical textile switch is easier than you might think, especially by following the instructions worked out by Leah Buechley.

Based on the idea and DIY instruction from Leah, we show how to create a single switch that uses only textile materials. With this instruction, you can create your own versions with multi switch keyboards or give them different shapes.

Please visit Leah’s Website for detail information where to get the materials. She has links for each item needed that helps you to find out where to buy them.

What you need to make a textile switch:

• Fabric glue
• Patch conductive fabric
• Patch of felt, wool or a similar thick, springy material
• Patch of fabric for the outside of the switch
• Scissor

Start by cutting out a square of felt. This will be the soft and springy center of your switch. Cut a hole out of the center of this felt square you just created. Now cut out two squares of fabric. These will be the outsides of your switch. Next, cut two strips of conductive fabric for the contacts in your switch. Each strip should be slightly longer than the felt square you cut and just wide enough to cover the hole in the felt.

You have now all of the pieces needed for your switch. The basic idea is that the two pieces of conductive fabric strips will be on either side of the felt square. When you press the center of your switch, the conductive strips will contact one another through the hole.

The strips will extend outside of the rest of the switch construction so that you can stitch them down with conductive thread to integrate to the rest of your textile electronic garment. The other pieces of fabric (the purple squares) will be the outside of the switch. Any color and shape you wish can be made, it’s up to you imagination and taste.
Now, glue the conductive strips to the exterior fabric.

Glue the conductive stripes to either side of the outside felt squares. Align the conductive strips so that they will contact one another through the hole in the felt when the switch is pressed, but will not contact each other otherwise.

You are done now, your first fully textile based switch is ready for use. Of course, this switch can be washed just like any other textile product.

The great thing about textile electronic is that you can easily create different shapes without much effort, just cut instead of a square a circular shape or a silhouette of a flower or . . . the sky is the limit.

We like to refer you to the creator of this concept and the DIY instruction shown here, Leah Buechley to get more in-depth information.

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