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Wearable Technologies

NEW developments
Commercial Wearable Technologies
- France Telecom
- DARPA
Wearable Technologies Presentations
Wearable Technologies Links & Stories
Eleksen
Canesis
Warmx
Smart Second Skin

"Bodies are both Zombies and Cyborgs. We have never had a mind of our own and we often perform involuntarily - conditioned and externally prompted. Ever since we evolved as hominids and developed bipedal locomotion, two limbs became manipulators and we constructed artifacts, instruments and machines. In other words we have always been coupled with technology. We have always been prosthetic bodies. We fear the involuntary and we are becoming increasingly automated and extended. But we fear what we have always been and what we have already become - Zombies and Cyborgs."

STELARC

NEW developments

The result is the ILLUM cycling jacket, which consists of a self-charging, powered external ‘shell’ made up of individual fabric panels with properties selected to minimise weight and ensure the wearer remains cool, dry, comfortable and above all safe. Safety comes in the form of a series of electroluminescent surface graphics that fit logically around the anatomy and provide all-round illumination, a marked improvement on current visibility solutions that tend to offer unidirectional front and rear lighting and reflection.

Commercial Wearable Technologies

France Telecom

'Researchers at France Telecom have recently developed operational prototypes of flexible colour screens integrated into clothing, opening up new horizons for services that let users displayimages on the clothes they wear.'

France telecom http://www.cellular-news.com/story/11426.shtml

DARPA

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Wearable Technologies Presentations

News: Put Your Wearable Products on The Catwalk Submitted by Mike Grenville on Fri, 05 Nov 2004 14:17

Organisers of The Wearable Technology Fashion Show at 3GSM in February are making a call for entries of ‘wearable’ products and technology

With nearly 30,000 visitors at the 3GSM World Congress, the annual event organised by the Informa Group and the GSM Association, is the world’s largest mobile conference and exhibition. Launched at this year's event, the "Cool and Connected,' The Wearable Technology Fashion Show attracted a full house at all the sessions.

The event showcases hot new wireless wearables, garment gizmos, jazzed up jewellery and electronically energised fashion accessories which mobile, web and network connectivity enables. Work productivity on the move or fashion and fun – all aspects of the next installment of innovations in mobile will be paraded in the fashion show and displayed on our giant video screens.

Wearable Technologies Links & Stories

cloth speakers

'Japanese Mikasa Shoji Co. has developed a bendable and foldable speaker, which is made with a piece of cloth woven with copper wire and polyester fiber and magnets. The sound is generated by vibrating the cloth. The cloth speaker is based on technology of Protro Co., a maker of flat panel speakers. A cloth speaker in the size of 5.5cm wide x 30cm long sells for about 15,000 yen (~$141).

More details on Nikkei.Net (Subscription). The Inquirer reports that Philips Electronics already invented cloth speakers 14 years ago'

in gizmodo too.......

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/japanese-develop-wearable-speakers-025077.php

Solar Jacket

First Ever Solar Jacket from SCOTTEVEST - Technology Enabled Clothing

SCOTTEVEST INC. (SEV) maker of Technology Enabled Clothing®, and Global Solar Energy, developer and manufacturer of flexible solar cells, announced that the first solar-powered jacket designed to carry, connect and charge portable devices will be available in time for the holidays.

Ketchum, ID (PRWEB) September 10, 2004 -– SCOTTEVEST INC. (SEV) maker of Technology Enabled Clothing®, and Global Solar Energy, developer and manufacturer of flexible solar cells, announced that the first solar-powered jacket designed to carry, connect and charge portable devices

Your Lapel Is Ringing

Wrist-watch phones, minute handsets woven into clothes, and more are already on sale in Asia. Expect to see them soon in the U.S.

This line of chokers and necklaces from the world's largest cell-phone maker, Nokia, looks high-tech and acts like it. These necklaces' medallions can store up to eight digital photos, which can be uploaded wirelessly from a Nokia cell phone

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2004/tc20040621_3128_tc024.htm

Eleksen

Eleksen is a company with a vision for the future based on soft interfaces between man and the technology that empowers him. From a corporate standpoint, we are equally committed to setting an example of how a world-class technology business should be run.

Elek Tex Sensing

Elek Tex™, our core technology is a laminate of fabric layers forming a highly flexible touch sensor that is only 0.6mm thick. The sensor can be tailored to suit the application and produced in any size from a postage stamp to a bedspread!

In simple terms, an ElekTex^? sensor can detect where it is being pressed and to a degree how hard it is being pressed. It does this by evaluating X, Y and Z axis measurements across and through the fabric sensor, using simple electronics and software. This means that the sensor's analogue output can be used to recognise contact, movement and gestures. For more basic functions the ElekTex^? sensor can also be used as a soft fabric switch.

Apple iPod wearable controls

The Apple iPod phenomenon shows no signs of cooling down. Now Eleksen can help you integrate iPod controls into your mass-market consumer garments, bags and other accessories easily with the ready-to-integrate wearable iPod fabric controls.

http://www.eleksen.com/index.asp?mainsection=1

Canesis

Innovation is the key driver of growth. Creating and adopting new technologies allows companies to generate faster and more sustained growth. But it is not something you can do alone. Canesis assists in the commercialisation and implementation of high value ideas and knowledge, providing an important competitive edge. Knowledge is the most valuable currency in today's world.

1. Smart Textiles Innovation Centre The Smart Textiles Innovation Centre (STIC) at Canesis Ltd carries out research and product development in electronic and intelligent textiles.

Our underlying philosophies are to develop highly functional systems that are truly integrated into textiles, and to use conventional processing routes to achieve flexible, wearable and durable products.

Partnerships with universities and research organisations who develop advanced materials, and with the companies who will manufacture and sell our smart textile systems are the cornerstones of our approach.

Our capabilities and research areas include:-
integration of electronic systems into wearable textile systems, textile-based mechanical and environmental sensors, intrinsically conductive polymers, responsive materials for adaptive textiles and actuation.

The Smart textiles Innovation Centre is developing electronic textiles for a range of applications, including textiles that incorporate electroluminescence technology to create fabrics that light up, yet retain much of their inherent flexibility and drape.

http://www.canesis.com/home.shtm

Warmx

Freezing in a cool environment is a thing of the past with the Warmx Undershirt. Both heat zones around the kidney area nustle on the skin and provide for cosy temperature. A mini-Power-Controller at the front provides the necessary energy.

http://www.warmx.de/

Smart Second Skin

The project 'Scentient Beings' invents a new science of aroma delivery focusing on smell and the impact it has on health and wellbeing. It explores the concept of Re-cabling Fashion, by implanting smell technology into multi-sensorial clothing on a more active approach to fashion design, introducing the living dress as a sensitive Smart Second Skin.

Smart Second Skin

The dress mimics the body's circulation system, the senses and scent glands. The veins and arteries flow freely as the new interactive fabric emitting a selection of scents depending on your mood. It has its own nervous system, which allows the wearer to control the emotional wellbeing of the garment. Using a theory that human biology can be modelled as micro mechanisms - biological functions such as skin, organs and a beat of a pulsating heart can be miniaturised forming the basis of an integrated communication system so that it rivals nature's own capillaries. Aromatic messages are actively 'pulsed' electronically through a cabling system, to key points of the body in order to activate the smell centre.

The project also explores a pair of intimate sensitive shoes. Pressure points are stimulated whilst walking by pressing on a soft sensitive area that corresponds with various reflexology points causing a gentle glow from the underside of the sole. The ball of the foot touches on the solar plexus point, the centre of emotional energy offering a 'bath of light' so that the act of walking is healing.