I am always fascinated by innovative design concepts that merge our virtual existence with the physical space in which we live, especially if it includes technology enhanced clothing.

A team of designer formed at the Canadian Film Centre, Interactive Arts and Entertainment Program, Kathleen Climie, Rose Bianchini and David McCallum created the ‘Neighbourhoodie’, a hoodie that combines the fun and dynamic of street games like ‘zombie tag’ with the technological experience space young people grow up today of online or computer games.

Integrated into the hoodie is a system of proximity sensors, speakers and lights to augment game play.

To start the game ‘Survival Tag’ as shown in the video clip below, players connect the iPhone / iPod touch to the ‘Neighbourhoodie’. Once the hood it put over the head the game starts and the hunt is on.

Lights, sounds in the hoodie are activated to indicate various players stages and proximity of others with the aim to ‘knock’ out, to tag opponents until one survivor is left over. Pull down and up the hood again and the next battle starts.

The Wii gaming system made a first step to get people out of the couch and become again more physical engaged while playing games. The ‘Neighbourhoodie’ has the potential to motivate us to leaving not only the couch but the house by playing hybrid games that partly happen in the real world and partly in our all important virtual world.

Along the lines of this creative design concept the is a huge inspirational space envisioning many variations of this design weaving  interactive garments and game interaction. An amazing project triggered by the combination of clothing and technology.

It is always enjoyable to write about the amazing inventions from Aniomagic, the magical eTextile wizards who create cute, simple components and projects with eTextiles.

The latest additions to their e-textile treasure chest is the smart dock connector for iPhone and iPod.

The Aniomagic dock connector is an easy to do e-textile project which adds a unique remote control to every iPod and iPhone with a dock connector. It not only looks cute, it represents an alternative, next to the special iPod gloves, to control the Apple ‘i’ products during the cold winter season when many wear gloves which makes it impossible to operate those products without taking the gloves off.

The magic dock can control the functions: ‘Play/Pause’ with a single click, ‘Next/Previous Track’ with a double click, ‘Next/Previous Album’ via a triple click and ‘Volume Up/Down’ by pressing and hold the button.

A tiny chip on the smart dock connector monitors the resistance between the two sewable holes. If the resistance is less than 1kΩ it will activate ‘forward/volume up’ and if the resistance is around 50kΩ means ‘backward/volume down’.

This smart dock connector can be used with actual resistors, conductive fabrics, tilt sensors or other types of sensors. The chip speaks the ‘Apple Accessory Protocol’ which allows it to communicate with iPods and iPhones over the dock connection.

The magic dock connector can control the following functions: ‘Play/Pause’ with a single click, ‘Next/Previous Track’ with a double click, ‘Next/Previous Album’ via a triple click and ‘Volume Up/Down’ by pressing and hold the button.

The remote control kit is available for just $20.- and contains everything you need: magic dock connector, conductive yarn, conductive fabric and conductive thread. There are only a few steps to make your own, textile remote control: Cut the conductive materials to size, sandwich the pieces and sew together and attach them to dock with conductive yarn. The complete assembly instruction can be found here.

If you are not a ‘Hello Kitty’ fan you are free to design your own style with the DIY-Kit, as accessory like in this example or integrated into your favorite jacket or bag … only your imagination is the limit to a cool looking cold weather remote control for this winter season.

Apple Inc‘s patent application “Smart Garment” released on Sept. 11, 2008 strongly indicates it’s interested into the development of wearable electronic / smart clothing.

Apple’s popular iPod range has actually helped to kick start the wearable electronic business by providing a kind of standardized interface platform with the iPod range. This standardized platform together with a large consumer base allows the creation of add-on products that benefit from this large consumer base as potential customers of add-on products.

Made for iPod accessories are a huge business and the first wearable electronic products are largely relying on the Made for iPod platform.

With the ‘Smart Garment’ patent application Apple indicates smart garments might be the next big opportunity to make business and wants to claim a part of it as Apple has done by introducing the ‘Made for iPod’ license fee for current iPod ready products.

The patent relates to ‘A sensor authenticated to a garment transfers information, either wirelessly or wired, to an external data processing device. Such information includes location information, physiometric data of the individual wearing the garment, garment performance and wear data (when the garment is an athletic shoe, for example). The external data processing device can be portable digital media players that are, in turn, in wireless communication with a server computer or other wireless devices.’

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is another area that gets attention as the patent application suggests to incorporate RFID tags into future smart garments to allow it to be pairs with the smart system and at the same time ‘monitor’ if the users to not hack their future wardrobe.

According to the text in the patent application, such shoe-hacking does already occur: “Unfortunately, however, it is becoming more commonly practiced to place the sensor at locations on a garment (shoes, for example) that are not specifically designed to physically accommodate the sensor and/or calibrated to accurately reflect data supplied to the wrist device.”

Further down in the text it reads: “However, some people have taken it upon themselves to remove the sensor from the special pocket of the Nike+ shoe and place it at inappropriate locations (shoelaces, for example) or place it on non-Nike+ model shoes. Therefore, what is desired is a method of electronically pairing a sensor and an authorized garment.”

This makes it very clear: Apple does not want anyone to ‘mess around’ with their system and you have to stick to the wardrobe Apple approves (jeans, turtleneck shirt and Nike New Balance shoes).

Doom saying beside – I like the idea to pair the future wardrobe like we do now with all the gadgets we own. Clothing becomes part of our digital life before we know it. What sound crazy today might be an everyday item in just a few years time. Examples of such rapid development and adoption are many around. If something is cool or useful or both it’s going to become big quickly.

I am not expecting to see during the next MacWorld coming January the first iShirts or iSneakers announced by Steve Jobs as ‘one more thing’ but Apple applying for a Smart Garment patent indicates an interest into smart clothing from the most creative company on the planet.

Such interest adds more weight, more energy behind our beloved topic of a wearable electronic enabled interactive fashion future.

[via: Gizmodo and TUAW]

Your precious iPod is in great danger on the beach. Sand, water and sun creme are natural enemies of our electronic gadgets. Getting some protection for such times of danger might be a good idea.

A great looking option comes from Sonic Impact which offers a range of iPod cases with integrated speakers to protect your iPod and allows you to listen to your tunes without the need of having your sweaty ears covered with headphones.

The cute Roxy Edition comes in a nice, colorful flower pattern targeted to the iPod girls and is available for $119.99. The cool looking Quicksilver Edition sells for $99.95 on the Apple store or for $119.99 directly by Sonic Impact’s online store.

To give a decent sound quality to the iPod case, Sonic Impact uses aluminum cone neodymium drivers combined with their and advanced Maxxbass technology that provides an enhanced bass response while minimizing distortion.

4x AA batteries will last a whole day but if you plan to use this cases as a backup in your home, there is an AC power adapter included as well.

The specifically engineered hard case protects the speakers and iPod while traveling or hanging around on the beach.

Both iPod speaker cases have a clock integrated that wakes you up when it’s time to turn around and let the sun hit your other side as well to ensure a well done 360 degree coffee brown color shade.

Want to carry your iPod in style and let your jacket take control over it? The Xara iPlay iPod Warm-up Jacket might be interesting for you.

As unique, sporty and fashionable as the iPlay iPod Warm-up Jacket is as unique is the company which produces this jacket.

Xara is a high quality soccer clothing brand in the US. Yes, the US, the worlds most unique soccer market which is according Xara’s Website ‘… quickly becoming a force in the global game, the strength of the market lies at the “Grass Roots” level. Only in the US does the sport draw its success from the equal participation of both boys and girls and only in America is the sport driven by clubs and teams at the youth level.‘

Out of this unique position Xara considers the needs of both men and women in their clothing designs which are carefully researched to meet the requirements on wear comfort on the soccer field.

The iPlay iPod Jacket is an excellent example of Xara’s design philosophy, beautiful looking on and off the soccer field. The iPlay iPod jacket includes a mini joystick control on the left sleeve as well as an internal zipper pocket for your iPod. A practical ear phone cord management in the jacket ensures no tangling wires during the warm up session while enjoying motivational tunes.

Compatible with all dock connector iPods starting from Gen 2 except the iPod touch and iPhone. The price we found for the iPlay iPod Jacket is very reasonable at $99.99 available in Women’s and Men’s fit.

Taking a shiny iPhone or iPod to your next beach trip to enjoy your tunes in sand, sun and sea environment might end up in a not so shiny iPod afterwards.

The beach is a great place to relax but a rough environment for electronic devices. Sand and splash water do not go well with them. And earphones might not be the most convenient way to listen to music while tripping from sun oil.

iHome has a cool looking solution ready for the summer season, the iHM4S, a colorful portable splash-proof speaker case that fits into todays lifestyle.

The iHM4 is a lightweight zippered stereo case that keeps the iPod safe while enjoying the beach, a picnic, poolside or any outdoor activity where the water and dust elements can harm the electronics or scratch the shiny housing.

The iPod iHome comes complete with carrying strap, stereo speakers on the backside and a see-through vinyl window that allows you to watch even videos. The access to the controls is easy via the see-through vinyl window.

A simple but effective solution that keeps the iPod protected from the elements but fully accessible.

Available by iHome in four different colors for $ 29.99, a small price for a huge convenience and protection to keep your iPod shiny for a long time.

Not yet available but pre-order is open and shipment should start in June (for the black version) and July for the colors versions.

Rachel Bagley, a Fashion design student at South East Essex College (UK) created for her degree in Fashion Design a wearable electronic collection with a twist: all fabrics used are either organic cotton or environmentally friendly peace silk.

The aim of her collection is to show how wearable electronics, combined with the insightful selection of fabrics can contribute to environmental conscious fashion design.

Her wearable electronic designs provide the wearer with renewable energy for personal electronic devices by integrating solar panels into clothing.

She incorporated the ElekTex touch pad which provides an additional dimension of convenience for the wearer in the use of personal electronic devices.

Rachel’s first model, the Yellow Strapless dress, fuses style with wearable technologies inspired by sustainable architecture and the climate change.

The dress uses style elements of an umbrella symbolizing the climate change – which makes the weather more unpredictable – hence the umbrella inspired style.

She decided to use organic fabrics to emphasize the positive effect on the environment. Her love for fusing fashion with technology comes in the form of solar panels distributed in the dress to catch the sunlight from different angles as the dress flutters and moves with the body.

The solar panels collect renewable energy which can be used to power personal electronic devices.

As a final twist, Rachel incorporated in a unique and beautiful way the touch pad buttons as she observed many people these days are listening to their iPod on the way to work / during the day.

She says: ‘Why not embrace this and allow the clothing to make listening to music easier‘.

The second model Rachel designed for her wearable electronic collection is the Solar Dress-Jacket which takes its inspiration from sustainable architecture, in particular from columns and wooden window shutters.

Rachel loves the silhouette of the columns with their stone work and intricate detail and the idea that shutters protect the building from sunlight through strips of wood really inspired the pleats of fabric used as surface pattern on the jacket.

Driven by her love to technology which is as strong and for fashion she decided to include solar panels to transform the protection from sunlight into a renewable energy source. and ipod buttons as before with the dress.

The fabric used for the jacket is environmentally friendly Peace silk which does not kill the silk worm but allows it to naturally break free from the cocoon which is then harvested and spun into silk.

With the generous support and sample supply from Fran Tattersall from www.selectsolar.co.uk and Anita Mistry from QIO Systems, Rachel cleverly integrated iPod controls that do not have to be always in a jacket sleeve and Solar panels that do not have to be in a bag. Let Rachel’s inspirational design be a inspiration for the big brand designer out there

The fabric has a unique soft quality with a shine and luster as well as being extremely soft which is in harmony with the style of the jacket yet in contrast with the shiny sleek surface of the solar panels.

Rachel’s work is pure in its aesthetic and style with a deep insight into todays trends of environmental awareness, sustainability and technology.

The most remarkable wearable electronic fashion design we came across so far in our restless search for the perfect wearable electronic design.

We are preparing a interview with Rachel Bagley to learn more about her outstanding Eco-Techno-Fashion designs. Check back soon, I promise you it will be a highly inspirational and interesting talk.

Working and blogging all day long deserves to have a good and relaxing rest. Being a bit behind with my drifting off and relaxing I had a look around for some cool and comfy pillow.

I always stay close to the soft technology and a search for ‘sound pillow’ brought up the Sound Asleep Pillow with built-in Speaker. Lying in bed and drifting off, listening to my favorite music is the best way to unwind and relax.

A Pillow with built-in Speaker might not be the best thing to have if your partner is next to you but if you are alone, this pillow is great to glide over into dream land.

Sure you could just leave your audio set switched on but the more voluminous sound is not necessarily as softly and subtle as when it comes gently out of your pillow.

Another good reason to invest in a sound pillow might be the fact (or believe) that if you learn a foreign language you are best off for good results if you listen to the language lessons in a relaxed atmosphere or during the period before you finally doze off. If this learning method is correct, the Sound Asleep Pillow offers the best solution.

Sound Asleep offers two versions, the basic version for £20.- ($ 39.50) and the Memory Foam Sound Pillow for £30.- ($ 59.25)

The Memory Foam moulds to the natural body shape which gives higher comfort and has small holes increasing air circulation and improves the sound quality

The Sound Pillow works not only with the iPod but with any MP3 player or radio as long as it has a 3.5mm stereo plug. The pillow does not need any battery as it uses the sound output of your audio device directly.

Ok – I got sleepy now and wish to have this cool Memory Foam Sound Pillow to drift off in peace

Forget your iPod or whatever music player you have. Your T-Shirt will make the soundtrack for your life. The ultimate Wearable Audio solution.

ThinkGeek, famous for funky techno enabled T-Shirts offers the Personal Soundtrack T-Shirt with an build in speaker right in front of your chest.

Unfortunately the remote control is not integrated into the shirt as we have seen by so many jackets using textile switches. This should have been no problem to integrate as well, I would think.

The shirt’s music system has a long list of pre-recorded sound tracks which will cover almost any live situation you get into. With a push of a button you can spice up your life with the right soundtrack like: Entrance Theme, Chase Theme, Romantic Theme, Sexy Time Theme, Victory Theme and many more.

An equal long list of sound effects covers: Cheering, Booing, Crying, Gunshots, Police Siren and more.

The remote allows the selection of 13 music themes and 11 sound effects. Music and sound effects fade up and down when choosing a new sound for a seamless life experience. The T-shirt’s sound system requires 4 AA batteries.

Maybe not a complete replacement for your iPod but interesting enough to have a closer look. Yeah, it’s April 1. So check out if this is for real by clicking over to ThinkGeeks online store and order one for just $39.99

In anticipation of a soon approaching summer, our product introduction today is a splash-proof case to protect your iPod while on the pool or beach or everywhere your iPod could get unwanted contact with water.

The i-XPS SoundBox from Hercules is a splash-proof SoundCase that acts as a speaker thanks to the integrated NXT speaker technology.

Powered by two AAA batteries, the i-XPS is compatible with all iPods and MP3 players with a 3.5mm headphone connector.

Primarily designed for use with iPod nano and shuffle players, the i-XPS has a transparent window allowing access to menu controls while the built-in NXT mono speaker is on the back of the case.

The SoundCase comes handy if you want to listen to your tunes when relaxing next to the water on the pool or beach without wanting to use the earphones or share your tunes with friends next to you.

Being a splash-proof case it will also protect against sand and dust. A simple yet practical iPod/MP3 player protection which comes in three vibrant designs (from left to right): Stone, Spray and Splash.

Available by Amazon UK store for £17.91 ($35.12) but shipment for UK only