The world of wearables is becoming an increasingly popular way for makers to express their creativity. From custom watches and connected jewelry to full-body suits that allow you to interact with your environment, the possibilities are endless. Learning about wearable electronics can be a bit daunting for those who are just starting out – but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re looking for guidance on where to get started with Arduino programming or inspiration from some of the projects out there, this blog category has got you covered. Here we will provide tutorials and resources on creating interactive wearables as well as a look at the work of some inspiring makers that should give you the motivation to dive right in!
An entry by Iowa Girl Scout robotics team, the Flying Monkeys, to the FIRST Lego League competition wins major award. Consulting with prosthetics maker and occupational therapist, the group developed a device for kids with a limb difference that are learning to write. The device is called BOB-1 and consists of a platform with a cylindrical stylus holder.
A commenter on yesterday’s CRAFT-y Bike Projects round-up alerted me to the DIY bike helmet mohawk phemonenon. Those pictured at left are from 2009 by Instructables user dan. The bright orange model is made from cable ties. To lower right…
Late April is probably not the time of year to get interested in designing and making fleece hats, but that’s what has happened to me over the past day or so. The other night, I decided that the fleece hat I’ve worn for most of the winter is too tight, and resolved to make my own. Sewing is new to me, and I’m trying to build my skills with this ancient craft and learning how to use my recently acquired sewing machine. As I’m doing this and other projects, one of my goals is to develop classroom projects for my high school students. The slideshow above shows the photos documenting the process of creating one hat.
Anderson Cooper 360° featured Warning Signs, a project by NYU ITP students Nien Lam and Sue Ngo. These t-shirts, which are decorated with either a heart or lungs, change color when an elevated level of carbon monoxide is detected. Full details about the project can be found on Nien’s blog. Isn’t it great to see […]
I am indebted to a commenter on yesterday’s skeletonics post for reminding me of G. John Dick and Eric A. Edwards’ SpringWalker spring-powered lower-body exoskeleton. Using the slightly half-baked terms I proposed yesterday, the SpringWalker is another notable example of a “passive” exoskeleton, i.e. one that amplifies the speed and range of a motion, but does not actually add power. An oldie but a goodie, the SpringWalker was patented in 1991, back when the term of a US patent was still 17 years, and is thus now out of patent. [Thanks, DanYHKim!]
All the primary source material here appears to be in Japanese, in which I am sadly illiterate, but word on the street is that this is a college-level student engineering project. It’s called Skeletonics, and I want to describe the technology as a “passive exoskeleton,” because it does not have any servomechanisms and just amplifies the speed and reach of the wearer’s natural movements. That would be opposed to an “active exoskeleton,” which, you know, would be one that actually adds power to a movement. I dunno what good it may be, but it sure looks like fun. If nothing else, you could build one and sell rides in it at the county fair. [via Hack a Day]
Yuma Fujimaki is certainly not the first person to make jewelry from scrap electronics components, but IMHO he has done a better job of it than most. [via adafruit]
