Riccardo posted on his blog on our newly launched talk2myShirt Connection an amazing on/off switch concept for eTextile projects: the ON_OFF Switch Bow.

I love this unique idea of translating a mechanical switch to eTextile electronics. Tie a bow like a shoelace and the switch is ‘ON’. Untie the bow and the switch is in ‘OFF’ stage.

The trick behind this bow switch is the use of pressure sensitive eTextile fabric like Riccardo is offering on his online store. When the fabric ribbon is loose, there is no electrical contact on the connection points.

If pressure is applied to the fabric like when the ribbon is tied to a bow, the pressure sensitive eTextile lets the current flow and closes the electrical circuit.

This is a brilliantly simple but very cute textile switch concept for eTextile projects which I am sure some of you will pick up for your next design.

Aniomagic recently introduced the Magic Dock connector for iPod and iPhone control which offers a unique way to integrate remote control functions or the ‘i’ products into all kind of soft, textile based products.

To show off the potential of this Magic Dock connector and to inspire the eTextile community, Aniomagic made another little project around this connector, integrating textile based control buttons into the handle of a Baby Bag.

The materials required are as simple as the dock connector use, conductive thread, conductive fabric patches and the magic dock connector.

How to hack a bag is shown on Aniomagic’s project site.

I like on this little project the way an iPod/iPhone control is integrated in a bag differently compared to the almost standard configuration of 5 or six buttons in a row or circle.

Yes, with these standard designs more control functions are possible but in terms of simplicity and freedom of style/design, the magic dock connector from Aniamagic leaves plenty of room for design creativity.