On Wearable Technology, Makers and Making

On Wearable Technology, Makers & MakingMakers’ Guild, London, July 2013

Rain Ashford - http://rainycatz.wordpress.com

I create interactive wearables and art

Images: Rain Ashford

2013 has been the year of wearable technology!

Wearable technology is hugely diverse! areas include, medical, art, fashion, whimsical, sensing, fun, practical, protective, interactive, military, energy, decorative, performance, energy harvesting, communicating, space, music and lots more…

Images: K1 Smart Watch, LED Eyelash made by Soomi Park, Electronic Tattoo by John A Rogers/Uni of Illinois, Microsoft Printing Dress, Embedded electronics fibre by Nottingham Trent University, SLIVER cells by Australian National University, Remote Control T-Shirt by Rebecca Albrand Fitbit & personal tracking page& Mindwave project by Rain Ashford, 3D printed shoes & garment by Iris van Herpen, Pebble e-ink watches.

But extensions of the body, including wearable tech, have been around for much longer..

Image: Titus Carisius, 46 BC coin Vulcan over anvil, tongs and hammer flanking, all within laurel wreath by Carlo Morino

Image: Casio CFX-400C Scientific Caluculator Watch, 1985, by Magnus ManskeAbacus rings were around in Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), photo by Latca (Flickr)

Computerised timing devive to predict and cheat at rouletter by Edward O Thorpe and Claude Shannon in 1961

..but until fairly recently wearable technology was heavy, angular, clunky or other wordly!

Wearable Wireless Webcam, Steve Man, 1994

Person with a head-mounted display (HMD), wired glove and joystick. Image: NASA

MannGlass Welding HelmetPhillips SKIN ‘Bubble’ dress

The miniaturisation of technology has changed how people build & use wearable tech & electronics; they’re no longer comprised of cold, bulky sharp, boxy or ugly components that you might prefer to remain hidden

Image: Steve Mann

Though there’s no escaping that wearable tech is influenced by science fiction

Images: Robocop DVD cover, pic by Plamdi, BSG motivational poster by thegreatgeekmanualRobotWearableCop Venn diagram, derivitive repurposed by Rain Ashford, original by GraphJam, Robocop Minis pic by infelix

..some interesting wearable tech has come out of it!

Images: Jean-Luc Picard as Borg Locutus by El Carlos / TriViso HMD 2012 image by Rain Ashford

Images: Star Trek Tricorder & Peter Jansen’s Tricorder Project Mk2, Lt Uhura Paramount Pictures, Jawbone headset uncredited image

..there’s still a fear of technology, machines, cyborgs, robots, etc.

“Let’s just hope that they all don’t show up at once.“ Anon

Image: unknown author / popular culture

The convergence and miniturisation of computing and communications tech means we’ll all be wearing our phones soon!

Image: Pinterest

Possibly a little more discreetly!

According to the media hype, Wearable Technology looks like..

Image: Antonio Zulgaldia

..also back to the future with smart watches!

Images: Watch, Tw810 Watch, MQ998 Cell Phone Watch, I’m Watch,K1 Camera Wrist Watch Phone, MW08 Waterproof Watch, Pebble e-ink watch, Nike+ GPS Watch, Sony Liveview, Sony MN2SW and Kreyos Smartwatch

..and they’re all trying to guess what this one looks like!

Images: GarRobMil & Paul Deneve Image: Courtesy Photo

..are Apple starting to take wearable technology seriously?

Crikey, what’s all this lifeglogging, lifelogging, augmented reality, data, veillance, surveillance, sousvellance, McVeillance?

Images: Steve Mann & Eyetap, Google Glass, Glass Up & Lumus OpticalSteve Mann’s LifeGlogging sensorcam, Microsoft SenseCam, Mann, Fung & Lo cam & Memoto

..some of us feel this wearable tech is a bit familiar!

Image: Stop The Cyborgs Campaign

SAY WHAT?..we’re still sorting out some of our etiquette to wearable tech / lifelogging

Image: Twinkle Tartiflette, Rain Ashford

What qualities might people look for in wearable tech?

Designed for individuals – have elegance and style

Comfortable to wear – both in terms of weight/texture, but also don’t make us self concious

Don’t stigmatise – re-assess assistive devices such as alarms

Fun and useful

Easy to use

Meaningful

Control of their own data!

At a similar time to Quantified Self movement, Maker & Hacker communities has been great for bringing together artists, tinkerers, designers, coders, crafters and engineers!

..a convergence of readily available electronic components, shared knowledge through communities and open source approaches to technology has broken barriers to learning & creativity

..plus due to communties & individuals interested in sharing knowledge there’s lots of information out there to help you make your own!

Images: screenshots from: Today I found Out, MIT Crafting Material Interfaces, Kobekant, Lynne Bruning, Instructables

For me, the availability of sewable electronic & e-textiles has revolutionised the way I and many artists & designers work…

Images: LilyPad Arduino + accessories, Adafruit Flora pics by Rain Ashford, LilyPad Dev kit by Protosnap, Sensors: Seeed Studio & Sparkfun

..plus the styling of some of these components has made them more attractive to work with

..don’t forget you can use other microcontrollers and components for wearable tech!

Images: Shrimp kit, mbed, ATtiny85 and arduino Uno, pics by Rain Ashford

Makers are also great teachers and knowledge sharers!

Ideas and work examples from Wearable Technology half day workshop & three-day Easter bootcamp.

8-16 year-old students loved how they could personalise and control electronics very quickly!

Wearable tech is a great vector for getting more girls and boys interested in STEM subjects!

Wearable tech gives many a way into coding and Electronics that is of interest to them.

Images: Colours of Birch glasses, Iris Van Herpen shoes & garment, Shapeways and Continuum Fashion bikini, Andreia Chaves’s Invisible Shoe, Mesh purse by Vertigopolka, Dita Dress by Michael Schmidt and Francis Bitonti, pic by Albert Sanchez, EEG VisualisingPendant frame viewed on Shapeways by Rain Ashford, Cortex Arm Exoskeleton by Jake Evil & Cortex Cast Systems

It’s not just fabrics based garments - 3D printing is going to radically change how we design and create, wearable tech is no exception!

Images: Makers & Hackers 2009, Sound Spark by Eric Boyd, pics Rain Ashford

Some qualities Makers bring to wearable technology:

Imagination and ideas

Innovation

Crossover skills in creativity and technology – wearable tech needs designers and technologists to talk

Willing to experiment

Share ideas and knowledge rather than work in secrecy / slap patents on everything

Work with others

Open Source ethos = transparency and openness

Pass on skills / teach others

I’m an avid self-tracker and fan of sensors!


I use all sorts of sensors…EEG (Electroencephalography), GSR (Galvanic Skin Response), magnometer, temperature, proximity, light, movement, barometric (temp, altitude, pressure)

Images: Sensors: Seeed Studio & Sparkfun, MindWave Mobile, Rain Ashford

…I enjoy incorporating the technology into the design


Soldering whilst wearing Necomimi brainwave cat ears

I’m interested in…

Social interaction – formal and informal events where one is put on the spot/ excruciating circumstances: networking, bars, clubs, meet ups, introductions, conferences, etc.

Building multi-sensor wearables which output data on the wearer’s physiological signs comprised of various components such as: a logging device sensors – tracking physiological signs:

EEG, GSR, heart rate, accelerometer, temperature, etc.

Actuators C code / algorithmsTo be… Visually reactive Sonically reactive Might record sound / display feedback

from user camera


Baroesque Barometric Skirt


Baroesque Barometric Skirt: pattern & sewing


Baroesque Barometric Skirt: design & paintingInfluences: Japanese painting / Okami game characters


Baroesque Barometric Skirt: circuit prototyping


Baroesque Barometric Skirt: breadboard to stripboard


Baroesque Barometric Skirt: detachable electronics apron


Baroesque Barometric Skirt

Sensors:


Pressure Altitude Environment temp My temp

°C (Celcius), Pa (Pascal) and m (meter)


Displays environmental & physiological data °C (Celcius), Pa (Pascal) and m (meter) Baroesque Barometric Skirt

(Low) Blue / Cyan / White / Green / Yellow / Magenta / Red (High)


Displays environmental & physiological data °C (Celcius), Pa (Pascal) and m (meter)

Baroesque Barometric Skirt: Code


Displays environmental & physiological data °C (Celcius), Pa (Pascal) and m (meter)

Baroesque Barometric Skirt: data

Baroesque Barometric Skirt: Challenges

Design of skirt Choice of fabric Weight of components Batteries: weight & longevity Design of code / algorithm Washability Design of circuitry & craft of electronics Flexibility of RGB LED strip Extraction & visualisation of meaningful data Aesthetics of garment & electronics

Image: Rain Ashford

Necomimi brainwave cat ears

..practicing manipulating concentration / meditationImages: Rain Ashford

Working with EEG (Electroencephalography)

NeuroSky Mindwave Mobile headset


EEG bar-graph prototyping


EEG LED matrix prototyping


EEG Visualising Pendant


EEG Visualising Data Pendant: Challenges

Finding info on a proprietary device (skant in 2012)

Design of code / algorithm Design of circuitry & craft of electronics Reliability of data via Bluetooth Form factor for a necklace How & what to visualise Weight of components Batteries: weight & longevity Extraction & visualisation of meaningful data Aesthetics of necklace & components Who is this for?

Image: Rain Ashford

Thank you for your attention!

@Rainycat http://rainycatz.wordpress.com

Rain Ashford 2013

On Wearable Technology, Makers and Making

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