Welcome to my graduation page. In this section I want to inform you about the process of my gradution and inspire you with topics related to mine. My graduation topic is focussed on the research and development of a meaningful interaction with use of touch sensitive fibers in textiles. In short, it is about a specific part of the smart textile innovation.
Smart textiles are defined as a new garment feature which can provide interactive reactions by sensing signals, processing information and actuating the responses. Other terminologies for smart textiles are smart clothing, smart wearables, e- and i-textiles, smart apparel and smart garments.
Textiles surround and protect people almost every minute of the day. They are very natural to have close and to touch. Touch is an important part of human interaction and communication. Humans use it to physically interact with others and their surroundings.
In order for a smart garment to interact with ohters it should understand human behaviour and communication. To make this interaction a meaningful experience, the designer must create a balance between participation and connectedness with its environment.
To give some examples on touch sensitive smart textiles:
Ping is a garment designed in 2011 that connects to your Facebook account wirelessly and from anywhere. It allows you to stay connected to your friends and groups of friends simply by performing natural gestures that are built into the mechanics of the garments we wear.
Google integrated Jacquard technology into the Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket designed specifically for urban bike commuters. Jacquard allows wearers to control their mobile experience and connect to a variety of services, such as music or maps, directly from the jacket. This is especially useful when it might be difficult to use the smart phone, like when you are riding on your bike.
Tactile Dialogues is a smart textile service which consists of a textile object in the form of a pillow with integrated vibration elements that react to touch. The goal of the textile object is to enable a dialogue by triggering physical communication patterns between a person with severe dementia and a family member, spouse, or other caregiver, by a joint interaction with the product.
