Wearables
For week 9, the class extended our knowledge on wearable technoloiges and e-textiles and advance our coverage on soft sensors and actuators and programming interactions. Our task is to create a couple of swatches with the ATtiny and Arduino with one input and one output, using hard-soft connection solutions and battery.
Research
I didn't know a lot about the actuators so I looked into Kobakant Art Collective and E-Tetile Tailor Shop,. which have examples on actuators and soft sensorss that I can create myself. The actuators that I was most interested in was the Flip-Dot Switch and SMA Smocking Swatch examples. I worked in this assignment to build these projects.
Materials
Flip-Dot Switch
- Magnet Dot
- Copper Tape
- Copper Wire
- Yarn
- Neoprene
- Arduino
- Alligator Clips Jumper Wires
- Soldier Wire/Conductive Paint
- Digital Portable Pocket Mulitmeter
SMA Smocking Swatch
- Stretchable Fabric like Lycra
- Conductive Thread
- Muscle Wire
- Arduino
- Alligator Clips Jumper Wires
- Soldier Wire/Conductive Paint
- Digital Portable Pocket Mulitmeter
Procedures
Flip-Dot Switch
I created a Flip-Dot Swatch, which with a battery will make your swatch magnetic.
- I gathered all my materials.
- Wrap the copper wire of a pen/sharpie/
- Find a way to connect the wire circle. I chose to connect them with a crochet stitch.
- Use conductive thread to connect the crochet wire circle to the neoprene.
- Push the copper wire to the back.
- Tape the copper tape to the end of the neoprene
- Soldier the wire to the copper tape or paint with conductive paint.
- With the Digital Pocket Portable Multimeter, check if there is a solid connection.
- If SO, Connect alligator clips to the tape and attach it to a power source.
- Check to see if the magnetic model is sticking.
SMA Smocking Swatch
With Lycra and Muscle Wire, I want to create a SMA Smocking Swatch.
- Gather your materials materials.
- Sketch with pencil you smocking swatch design.
- Sew the fabric with conductive thread.
- Connect the conductive thread with the muscle wire.
- Connect thread to a power source.
- See if your materials contract into your design.
Testing
I tested it with different materials and use Pocket Meter to continue to make a connection. I wanted to make sure it was working and the product will act accordingly.
With the Flip-Dot Swatch, I was able to easily find the connection between the input and the output. It made me confident in moving forward and connecting it to a power source.
With the SMA Smocking Swatch, I wasn't able to find a connection. I tired to make it to work so that it would be a connection throughout. I tried to connect it between to muscle wire nodes and there was a connection. I worked continuously to make a connection and tried to find a design to design that.
Results
With the Flip-Dot, it was successful. I put the swatch to a power source and it was able to be magnetic.
With SMA Smocking Swatch, it was tough to find a connection and the muscle wire burned through.
