Riccardo Marchesi started around a year ago the online shop Plug and Wear to provide the eTextile community with a one-stop-shop offering eTextile designer a large selection of materials for wearable electronic projects.

The relative new area of wearable electronic with it’s specific eTextile components does not yet have a structure of well established resources, online and offline, such as electronics, knitting, sewing or textiles offer to the DIY community.

Over the past 12 month Riccardo not only managed to get a good selection of components into the Plug and Wear shop, he added sections offering very interesting Tutorials to demonstrate and inspire people who plan to design eTextile projects.

The Tutorials from Riccardo offer simple to follow step by step instructions documented with many photos and a detailed explanation about the underlying theory providing a solid background knowledge of eTextile components and materials. Equipped with these information one can build own projects rather than simply replicate the introduced example.

Point in case: the recently added Soft Potentiometer tutorial with a guide to build an analog input component using a metal ring and knitted, conductive ribbon. Sliding up or down the ribbon length can be used to control the light intensity of a connected LED, volume adjustment for an Audio player and similar, variable input requiring designs.

The Soft Potentiometer is available at Plug and Wear as Kit including the knitted conductive ribbon and the metal ring.

A interesting variant for a soft, textile based interface for wearable electronic designs.

EMPA – an interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development within the ETH Domain will present this Friday at the Smart Textiles Salon in Ghent, the ‘Conducting textile platform based on novel e-fibers’.

There are different technologies and processes to create electrical conductive fibers and yarns, some use fine silver wires spun together with polyester yarn, some coat polyester yarn with a metal layer and others coat woven textiles with metals to make them electrically conductive.

The research team at EMPA uses a low-pressure plasma sputtering process to coat a 100-200 nm thick metal layer on common monofil- or multifil- yarns.

This process does not change the properties of the fibers base material but make them reliably conductive for low-current signals such as audio signals, computer interfaces (e.g. USB) or low current supply. The typical resistance they can achieve is 5 to 50 Ohms per cm.

The aim of the EMPA project is to create electrically conductive fibers useable for e-Textiles which do behave and perform like any conventional textile, are as robust and resistant as conventional textiles but are capable to be used as interconnection platform for technology enabled clothing.

Inspired by the wave of illuminated clothing used by artists I looked around the creative wearable electronic community for other music related clothing.

My search came up with the Accouphene Tuxedo created by Vincent Leclerc, Joanna Berzowska and the XS labs crew back in 2006. The idea behind the Accouphene Tuxedo is to ‘…  create a 3D sonic environment around the human body that can be activated and modulated through movement of the hands and the twisting and compression of the cloth.‘

13 soft speakers, embroidered in the shape of a coil with highly conductive yarn generate sound by pulsing energy through the coils which are activated when running a magnet over these coils.

The magnets are integrated into the sleeves of the jacket which will trigger a sound when the arms move along the jackets front.

From where is the sound coming? Every speaker generates a weak magnetic field that reacts to a strong magnet when they come in close proximity.

The strength and distance of the magnet determines the amplitude of the sounds. By pulsing the embroidered coils at different frequencies the Accouphene jacket can play different notes.

This site has links to the electronic circuit diagram which is based around the an Atmel 8-bit RISC microcontroller and the firmware code used for the Accouphene jacket as a starting point for your own sound generating clothing project.

Although the sound capabilities of this design is not for everyones ears, the Accouphene concept can serve as inspirational starting point for other sound generating clothing for a new generation of pop artists.

[via: Electricfoxy]

It might not seem to be the best time of the year to talk about heated clothing but I learned recently about an advanced textile technology, the Far Infrared (FIR) fibers which are not only used as textile heating elements in cold weather clothing but they are widely used in the therapeutically clothing segment as well.

First some basics of far infrared: Far infrared rays are part of the sunlight spectrum that is invisible to the human eye. The wavelength of infrared waves range from 0.76 micron to 1,000 microns. This range is further subdivided into the ranges of Near, Medium, and Far-Infrared Rays.

Far Infrared fibers are made of a blend of polypropylene and special lead-free bio-ceramics. The ceramic is the key for ‘emitting’ the far infrared rays.

The bio-ceramic is ground into micro particles in nano scale and is either inseminated into the polypropylene during the polypropylene fiber forming process or for impregnation through a soaking or coating process.

Interesting how the FIR fibers work: it starts with the fact that the human body constantly emits thermo energy. When the bio-ceramic is stimulated by the thermo energy of the human body, it converts it into the far infrared rays and reflects it back into the human body penetrating the skin up to a depth of 3 inches.

According to the medical literature, there are no know side effects coming from far infrared rays. Far infrared clothing can benefit the human body in a gradual and constant way as studies have shown. People wearing these clothes demonstrate improved blood circulation and energy level. This effect is used as treatment method for people suffering from Arthritis and similar conditions.

The very same FIR fibers are used in some advanced heated clothing as well. For heated clothing, an additional power source (battery) is used to stimulate the warmth radiating properties of FIR fibers giving off a soothing warmth even in the coldest winter (or sometimes even summer) days.

During my visit to the TechTextil I met Hanne-Louise Johannesen, co-founder of Diffus, a Denmark based design company with the mission of ‘diffusing traditional thinking as well as materials in order to create the unforeseen‘ in e-textile applications.

Very interesting to me is the project of the Interactive Sample Book (ISB) designed by Diffus with support from project partners to create a number of interactive textiles, presented in the ISB in a similar way as the sample books of wallpapers one can take home from the shop and choose from.

In other words, it is a kind of display material, which in a simple manner can illustrate how different techniques and smart materials work.

The book will function as an inspirational tool for designers, students, cultural institutions and companies that wish to start working with some of the possibilities that are within interactive textiles.

5 interactive textile concept samples have been developed so far which are based around sensors (pressure, sound, strain and light sensors) and actuators (Shape memory alloys, light emitting diodes, electroluminescent materials, photovoltaic cells, optical fibers, thermo chromatic and photo chromatic inks).

The Interactive Sample Book is made of 5 textile pages that all demonstrate a particular aesthetics and interactive functionality. The 5 pages are as different from each other as possible, and show something extreme in relation to the used technology.

The completition date of the ISB is not set yet as only two of the five samples are finished so far but once it is ready for use we will inform you.

Plusea aka Hannah Perner-Wilson is one of the most active wearable technologists judging on the amount of her DIY instructions especially around textile sensors and interactive clothing for performing artists.

Her most recent creation posted on YouTube is the ‘Sensitive Fingertips‘ (see embedded video below) a glove containing pressure sensors on each finger tip allowing the detection of the pressure the finger tips create.

‘Intended for use by children and their piano teachers to visualize the difference between “p” piano (soft) and “f” forte (hard).‘

The sensors are made from stretch conductive fabric and Eeonyx stretchy resistive fabric, allowing for the whole glove to remain stretchy so that they can fit tightly.

Connected to the Arduino via metal snaps and a fabric cable made from sewn conductive thread traces this glove can be a great input enhancement into the virtual world of computer games or professional applications where the use of a keyboard would be too cumbersome or unpractical.

Another fabulous inspiration from Hannah’s treasure chest of wearable technologies.

Nadya Peek, a first year grad student at the MIT Media Lab created a unique interactive dress to close the gap between our presents in the physical and virtual world. Yeah – it’s not the first time technology enhanced clothing is doing just this: merging our ever expanding virtual existence with our physical presents.

Having a virtual personality and social network online is as important for todays and especially tomorrows Netcitizen as having a physical presents in this world. The line between online and offline is getting blurred with todays communication tools that allow us to stay connected almost everywhere, anytime.

A very strong social aspect is the touch, the hug, the bat on the shoulder. So far this kind of interaction is largely missing between the virtual and physical presents.

We have seen over the past few years how wearable technologies can provide solutions to bridge the gap between online and offline existence.

Nadya’s project Caché aims to bring interactivity, a virtual poke into the physical presents via clothing.

The scenario: a Netcitizen’s photo on his/her social network platform indicates ‘clickable’ areas on the person’s clothing. By clicking on these areas on the Website the information will be transmitted via smartphone and bluetooth to the piezo speaker in the garment indicating via a click sound someone clicked on the image letting the wearer know he/she feels close right now.

A creative concept which would guaranty a lot of interaction and fun – I leave it to your imagination what else one could do with a clickable garment.

Beside the interactive element in this dress I like the beautiful integration of the conductive lines into the textile. Not trying to hide but clearly visible, they appear as being part of a fabric printing.

[via: Fashioning Technology]

Canadian textile artist Marisa Ranalli created an amazing dress resembling deep sea jellyfish fashion with the use of e-textile materials like LilyPad Arduinos, LEDs and nitinol wire (an alloy that changes shape when electricity is applied) to add organic movements and illumination to the dress.

Marisa gets her inspirations from her fascination of the inside, the inside of machines, human body and thoughts, things that are generally hidden from the open view.

The Hybridization dress design is influenced by deep sea life like a jellyfish with it’s moving tentacles and colorful display as defense and communication mechanism.

The third element of her creativity is rooted in her interest to combine electronic parts (which also come usually form the inside) with textiles (the outside) which resulted in this stunning dress design.

Interwoven into the Hybridization dress are many conductive threads and nitinol wires. The conductive threads provide power to the LEDs and nitinol wires.

The nitnol wires and LEDs are both controlled by a set of Lilypad Arduinos and a motion sensor to activate the light pattern as well as the flexing of the ‘tentacles’ (nitinol wires).

A extraordinary, beautiful and creative dress which is on display at the Lennox Contemporary Gallery from April 30th-May 10th.

Details of this dress can be found on her Website.

[via: Craftzine Blog]

The ‘Talking Quilt‘, a co-creation between Fiona Carswell, designer of the shockingly-creative ‘Smoking Jacket‘, Alice Tseng-Planas, Kate Hartman, Kati London, Megan MacMurray and Nanna Halinen was developed for speech and learning sessions with a non-verbal, mobility-challenged young girl.

But this concept could be used to entertain kids or ‘grown-ups’ alike. Imagine this: you record on different squares short stories or create an audible puzzle.

Hand over the quilt to someone and keep them entertained by finding out what hidden messages the quilt contains. They could further add and expand on the quilt stories.

The interactive quilt is made up of squares that can individually record a voice or other sounds when touching a square and playback the recorded message or music by applying a bit more pressure to the touch.  Each square can have it’s own recorded message. Made of e-textile materials and technologies, the Talking Quilt is fully washable.

One could be carried away with all the possibilities a recording/talking quilt would have as family or party entertainment.

[via: Gizmowatch]

At times, nano-whatever seems to solve all problems the world is suffering from. Nano has the sound of a ‘magic spell’ on it.

No wonder that ‘nanofication’ of textiles was one of the first areas nano technology found early commercial applications. One of the most prominent nano-textile applications is the impregnation (coating) of fibers and textiles to make them, thanks to nano technology, wrinkle free or water repellent or stain resistant, dirt repellent – just to name a few.

Using nano technology to ‘electrify’ textiles to make ‘smart textiles’ is a fiercely field of research.

According an article in the latest issue of MIT‘s Technology Review Magazine professor Nicholas Kotov at the University of Michigan developed a new and it seems very promising ‘nanofication’ technique of coating textiles with carbon nano-tubes transforming them to electronic sensors that look and feel like ordinary cotton.

Carbon nanotubes are highly conductive and if molecules such as antibodies are anchored to their surface, they can also serve as very sensitive chemical detectors by changing the nanutobe’s electrical resistance.

Existing ‘nanofication’ processes either degrade the sensitivity of treated textiles or require a very complex and time consuming process. Professor Nicholas Kotov developed a simplified method to apply carbon nanotubes on complex three-dimensional surfaces such as a cotton thread by dipping yarn or textiles into the magical ‘nanofication’ liquid.

‘This method results in a sleek, powerful, and much more wearable alternative to complex intelligent textiles that incorporate heavy, bulky optical fibers or corrosion prone metal wires.’

I am not an expert in nano technologies but judging on the description of this process and looking to the fast adoption speed of nano technologies for textiles, Professor Kotov’s  development could be become abailable soon which in turn could bring big advanvements  to the interactive fashion industry.

Check out the full story at Technology Review.