Techno Thursday

Techno Thursday

Here is the latest smart garment created our guest contributor Jennifer Darmour of Electric Foxy.


ZIP from Dos Rios on Vimeo.

Techno Thursday

 I was browsing through this book, only to find it packed full of information for designing and understanding how smart clothes are made.  It covers illuminating fabrics, embedding fibres and fluid based fabrics. It's a comprehensive guide for someone who is interested in entering this growing field.

Although I am still learning  about wearable technology I can see numerous reasons for why it will become part of mainstream from health and safety to protecting oneself from the elements. Today on the news a scientist spoke of how the Earth is warming up. It made me think of what I might where in various climates in the future.

Techno Thursday

Emergency lighting

During the holiday season I had a chance to test out Capstone Industries Eco-Lite by accident. I had been sent samples of the Eco-i-Lite months ago and forgot all about them until just before the holidays when I decided to plug them in. They're easy enough to use just plug in the charger and the light sits in a cradle. 

Needless to say I lost power during the holidays on one of the coldest days and I didn't realise it until I saw the top portion of the lite shining brightly. That was during the day but I also tried it out at night and it worked very well. The bottom of the torch acts as a dimly lit night lite, but when you take it out of the charger the top part give off that great white light that's extremely bright but easy on the eyes. Another plus the plastics used are 100% recycled.

Techno Thursday part II

Thimble - There's a Thing for That from two times three on Vimeo.

Techno Thursday

I don't have much to report, but for those that are following wearable technology and smart clothing.  There is a 2 day workshop this month called Where Electronics Meets Technology.

It's located in Boulder Colorado, fairly inexpensive if you live in the area and well worth attending if you're in the field or considering this field. Organiser is Lynn Bruning. via Talk2myshirt

Some favourite stories

We're starting on February's resort issue but I thought I'd start the year looking back today as it ended on such a high note. Here's a recap of some of the best images published in 2010.

Techno Thursday

This intelligent suit works in conjunction with a smart phone it can alert the wearer to a call or an SMS alert on the outside of the jacket. Instead of rudely interrupting a conversation this suit offers a more interesting alternative by, well, lighting up.

Created by Wolfgang Langeder and Fraunhofer IZM/Stretchable Circuits based in Berlin I see this ending up on stage than in real life, but who knows never say never right. To read more Erich at Talk2myshirt goes into more technical detail.

Techno Thursday

In the recent issue of think magazine I had a conversation with Moritz Waldemeyer who I've dubbed the Godfather of Light. I have wanted to speak to him for quite some time, and it didn't disappoint.  

Diving into his world was an eye opener on  how complex some of these projects can be. His portfolio of clients runs the gamit from automobiles, celebrities and fashion designers. and it continues to grow. To read more on this interview visit Think magazine.

Techno Thursday

As the weather shows signs of getting colder brands like Isotoner are getting ready to corner the smart touch phone market by creating smart touch gloves that work on the screens of iPhones etc.

Now I'm not into walking and typing but as you look around many people are doing it against their better judgement but I do follow and love the progress wearable technology is making.  For more information please visit Talk2myshirt and a chance to win a pair gloves.

Techno Thursday

With a BA in Womenswear from Central Saint Martins and engineers for parents Vega Wang has shown promise as a 21st century designer by creating electronic embroidery.

Her graduate collection was inspired by BBC documentary Deep Blue a study of deep see creatures that look like they belong on the Vegas strip.  For more technical information and a video on Vega Wang visit Talk2myshirt

Techno Thursday

Bono, Rihanna and Katy Perry have brought this technology into the mainstream quite rapidly to my surprise. The idea of illuminating clothing may seem like an entertaining idea, but there are also great safety reasons why this technology is important to 21st century design. 

Cyclists who ride at night would benefit greatly making their journey far safer. People who are stranded in an isolated area would be easy to find on rescue missions. Climatic change is also a factor for wearable technology scientists as they continue to perfect their craft. Talk2myshirt has written a more technical post, for those that want to learn about the mechanics please visit Erich's site.

Techno Thursday

Do you want to try your hand at designing a cooling jacket? Are you a wearable technology enthusiast?  Each inventor will be given $2000 for development and a chance to win $22,000 for their invention. Staying cool is the farthest thing from my mind as Nth America prepares for winter.

But the southern hemisphere is slowly moving into summer and with climatic changes and extreme heat patterns a cooling garment is a welcomed option for individuals who work outdoors or in extreme heat conditions. For more information please visit Talk2myshirt for further details.

Techno Thursday

Anouk Wipprecht may one day catch the eye of performers such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Or possibly  join Hussein Chalayan's team as she designs fashion with technology in mind. 

Talk2myshirt also covered this designer today from a more technical point of view.

Techo Thursday

Pajamas that come with an iPhone apps? Yes it's true and someone, somewhere will want one to keep up on their tweeting, and facebooking. 

Now you can find out how a person is sleeping or if they've had a restless night. There is of course more to it, visit Talk2myshirt for further information.

Techo Thursday

If you workout or you're training for a marathon this shirt might just improve your performance. It's still in development, and the price is steep but if you're a professional athlete, acquiring information such as your heart rate, GPS, skin temperature and electrocardiogram in real time is extremely beneficial.

The eshirt from the Netherlands is still in the development stage but it is available to purchase if you're really keen. The idea of instantly transmitting your performance results to your coach or doctor shows how much social media can enhance lives. For more information visit Talk2myshirt.

Techo Thursday

This may be one of the New Year's Eve dress trends for 2010 as more of these dresses are made accessible by designers like Mary Huang.

The Rhyme & Reason collection received so much attention it encourage the designer to offer a made to measure service. To read more visit Talktomyshirt for details.

Techo Thursday

If you are considering, or even know someone who has a desire to work in this field author Sabine Seymour's books on wearable technology is must read.  Her first book Fashionable Technology serves as a reference guide to research institutes, projects and materials. And a who's who of this growing field.

The second book Functional Aesthetics which is on pre-order contains ground breaking design examples, and again serves as a resource for materials and DIY projects. For a more extensive description and a look inside the first book, click on the pictures.

Techo Thursday

Cute Circuit a company that was named Best Inventions of the Year by Time Magazine is about to launch the K-dress at Selfridges exclusively just in time for the holiday season.

Making this type of technology available to the public so soon, is a remarkable accomplishment. It's not my cup of tea, but I have a feeling this dress will sell out based on celebrity influence. For information on this dress visit talk2myshirt