SOFT SKETCH (2009)

This project is a demonstration of two interests that have been important to the development of dynamic wearable technology.

The first is the idea of putting the creation of a garment within the wearer’s hands. To give the wearer functional and aesthetic options. Soft Sketch is a textile that can receive different low-resolution images from the web and display them in a non-intrusive manner through color changing inks.

The second interest is one of remote collaboration. A user can submit the image by way of an html form of check boxes from their computer. Each check box corresponds to the 6 x 6 grid that is built into the textile using soft conductive materials and thermochromic ink. The receiving side can be located anywhere as long as the Arduino/WIZnet hardware combo is there to call the data forth. The data is processed which is then sent to the textile via XBee to tell which pixels to turn on, thus creating the image to seemingly bloom onto the textile’s surface.

an experiment in building an ink-based display screen. 6x6 1/2” handmade pixels embedded in wool felt using heating element to heat up thermochromic ink screened on top of fibers. 3 have been turned, top left corner. watch for the one changing from black to grey.