introduction to wearable technology
DESCRIPTION
Slides from an hour long talk I wrote in July 2012 and presented on introducing wearable technology. It includes my thoughts on the evolution of wearable tech, lots of examples and some of my own work, questions and conclusions.TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Wearable TechnologyRain Ashford
http://rainycatz.wordpress.com
Hello, my name is Rain and I create interactive wearables and art, working with many flavours of microcontrollers & various components…
‘Yr In Mah Face’: temperature /mood sensing t-shirt
I’m interested in…
Social interaction – formal and informal events where one is put on the spot/ ecruciating circumstances: networking, bars, clubs, meet ups, conferences, etc.
Building multi-sensor wearables which output data on the wearer’s physiological signs comprised of:
a logging device sensors – tracking physiological
signs: heart rate, accelerometer, temperature, etc.
visually reactive sonically reactive it might record sound / feedback
from user camera
Wearable technology is a diverse area, and can be fashionable, whimsical, fun, practical, arty, serious, protective, interactive, sensing, medical, energy harvesting, communicating, musical and lots more…
Wearable technology of yore: heavy, messy, angular & clunky
In the beginning…
Beam me up Scotty…..sci-fi has a lot to answer for!
But we’re moving on from when wearable tech evoked thoughts of axe grinding cyborgs, serf robots, toasters and space pirates…
The miniaturization of technology has changed how people build & use wearable tech & electronics; they’re no longer comprised of cold, bulky sharp, boxy & ugly components that you might prefer to remain hidden
Meanwhile in real life…
The aesthetics & challenges of technology vs garments / accessories is not trivial and need much more research to get them to work together…
..plus how to manufacture, distribute and market these products.AR HMD / HUD examples
Though the way we are interacting with technology is changing our expectations. We want ‘always on’ communications, apps and devices that work in an ambient manner to only alert us when needed…
..but there’s still a lot of work to be done in areas such as interoperability, sustainability and battery size / management
Interesting questions…
What are we going to use Wearable Technology for?
Will smartphones / computers end up integrated into our clothing?
Ethics issues - who owns / has access to our data?
Privacy & Surveillance
How far will we get towards Cyborg culture - implants anyone?
CuteCircuit M-Dress
By inspiring a new collective of technologists and creatives to enter the tech industries
Don’t underestimate Hacker & Maker Culture having an influence on the evolution of technology
..a convergence of readily available electronic components, shared knowledge through communities and open source approaches to technology has broken barriers to learning & creativity
New business opportunities, approaches to working, commerce & online communities
For me, the availability of sewable electronics & e-textiles has revolutionised the way I and many other artists & designers work
Sewable Electronics
..plus the styling of some of these components has made them more attractive to work with
…allowing me create much more elegant work
…incorporating the technology into the design
The LilyPad!Pin 1 - TX/D1Pins 2,3,4 - D2, D3, D4Pin 5 - GND or "-" (ground)Pin 6 - VCC or "+" (power)Pins 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 - D5 through to D13Pins 16,17,18,19,20,21 - A0 through to A5 (analog pins)
LilyPad ArduinoMicrocontroller
Conductive Thread E-Textiles C (ish) Programming Sensors Actuators Hacked Electronics Conductive items
Wearables Sound Artworks Games All Interactive
What I combine with it:
To make:
LilyPad Arduino Microcontroller
• Fabulousness
It’s sewable! It’s open source – you can find
the Eagle files & free code libraries online / with IDE
Good number of digital & analogue I/O
Great vector for encouraging girls/ boys /adults/ artists /anyone / to experience electronics
It’s round (dismisses the idea that electronics are sharp grey and cold)
Enthusiastic & helpful community
• My wish list
An industrial version Make it cheaper More modules please Different sizes and shapes of
board Choice of microcontrollers Variable voltages More competitors, to increase
innovation (Flora, Seeedstudio) Development of washable
conductive thread
The availability of sensors in particular that allowed me to bring my ideas to fruition
Sensors…
..plus there’s lots of information out there on how to make your own!
DIY Sensors (and actuators)!
Components: Sensors vs. ActuatorsA sensor is an input device / an actuator an output device
Sensors Input: stimulus / A physical
quantity, property, or condition which is measured
Output: electrical signal - current, voltage, phase, frequency
Variations: output can sometimes be displacement: thermometers, magnetostrictive and piezoelectric sensors. Some sensors combine sensing *and* actuation.
Actuators Input: electrical signal - current,
voltage, phase, frequency, etc, Output: mechanical (force,
pressure, displacement) or display function (light, display, dial indication, etc)
LEDs LCD / OLED Display Servos Motors Piezoelectric buzzers Speakers
Electroluminescent Wire Electroluminescent
Panels
Actuatorsfor wearable technology include…
Optical, Light & Sound Temperature & Humidity Energy Harvesting Radiation / Environment Heart Rate Proximity / object
detection Gas & Liquid / Chemical Inertial Biosensor
GPS Compass / magnetic field Weight Pressure / Force RFID Electric Current /
Potential Touch WiFi EEG
Sensorsfor wearable technology include…
In my research I’m starting to note key areas of sensor & actuator usage, against groups & areas of usage…
Sensors, actuators, industry and creatives - bringing it all together
Sports & interest in wellbeing/self monitoring has made much headway into pushing Wearable Tech into the mainstream, especially as many gadgets work with smartphones…
..unsurprisingly Apple has taken note (pic Dec 11)!
2012 Olympics: Lolo Jones (US) used using motion-detecting sensors to trigger high speed video cameras in her 100m hurdle bid.
2012 Olympics: Mimi Cesar (UK) gymnast, used a `MotivePro’ by Birmingham City University, a vibrating sensor suit to track and record her movements.
Some favourite examples of sensing / active clothes & accessories …
Dhani Sutanto’s Oyster RFID pass ring for using on London Transport
Light sensing dresses by Rainbow Winters:uses thermochromatic reactive to light, colour changing inks
Elena Corchero Vintage Solar Fan & Parasol
Sensing Art and Performance pieces…
Rainbow Winters:Thunderstorm Dress: lights up to sound
Elena Corchero Vintage Solar Fan & Parasol
Ricardo O’ Nascimento: “PAPARAZZI LOVER” a reactive dress that responds to the flash of a camera
icardo O’ Nascimento: “UNTANGLE ME” dress is a playful twist on a garment come alive
..lets not forget Wearable 3D Printing!
Iris van Herpen & Daniel Widrig’s amazing dresses!
3D bikini by Continuum Fashion, printed in nylon 12 printed to order from Continuum’s Shapeways shop
Andreia Chaves’ printed shoes
Naim Josefiand Souzan Youssouf, Beckmans College of Design.
Energy Harvesting clothing: Energy harnessing space suits: NASA Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology initiative. The suits incorporate piezoelectric zinc-oxide nanowires which creates a charge in response to physical strain like bending or twisting.
An in-shoe device designed to harvest the energy that is created by walking, and store it for use in mobile electronic devices
In-shoe device: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Andrew Schneider’s solar bikini retrofitted with photovoltaic film strips sewn together in series with conductive thread
Medical: Epidermal Electronics 1960s wearable insulin pump
Monitors electrophysiological signals associated with the heart, other muscles and brain activity
Electronic tattoo, University of Illinois
2012 artificial pancreas & insulin pumps in development as shown by Gil de Paula of Pancreum at WT Conference 2012
I wanted to create something interactive, as I could find no other documentation for conductive Velcro, some sort of plaything seemed an interesting idea and after some pondering I decided on a 3 x 3 grid system
I <3 0X0: an interactive artwork, game, musical fancy and experiment in conductive Velcro
Hacking existing tech & combining sensors has allowed me to make pieces such as ‘You Make My <3 Flutter’: a proximity detecting, heart rate sensing ‘techlace’ visualising physical signs
And for looking at social interaction -‘Yr In Mah Face’: temperature /mood sensing t-shirt - uses Celsius temperature data from a sensor, averages it, then visualises the results via LEDs.
I’m also interested in practical uses - Don’t Break My Heart is a wearable, colour-coded distance warning system prototype for cyclists to wear on their back
Summary: exciting time for e-textiles & wearable tech
Availability of sewable electronics is revolutionising the work of artists & designers
Self-monitoring movement i.e. Quantified Self is pushing wearable tech into the mainstream
Hackspaces & online communities are helping demystify electronics & coding
Open Source ethos is sharing & making knowledge more accessible
Small Maker start-ups are changing the face of tech entrepreneurs
Sewable electronics are inspiring a broader demographic to become interested in electronics & coding
School age students are investigating electronics & code via e-textiles and wearable tech
Summary: wearable tech will be improved by
Necessity for more standards and classifications
Sustainability – recycling, reusing, repurposing - supply chain isn’t yet set up for wearable tech
A lot of focus on the technology, but not enough on what the consumer wants: design, uses, size
Marketing focus – sales, dissemination, tech know how - how do we help the public understand and use?
Developments in battery / power supply tech: less bulky, better longevity, lighter, comfortable
Washable circuits, sensors and microcontrollers – to gain acceptability they need robustness and logivity
Those interesting questions again…
What are we going to use Wearable Technology for?
Will smartphones / computers end up integrated into our clothing?
Ethics issues - who owns / has access to our data?
Privacy & Surveillance
How far will we get towards Cyborg culture - implants anyone?
Thank you for your attention!
@Rainycat http://rainycatz.wordpress.com
Rain Ashford 2012