Webelow Wear

Valérie Lamontagne of Electromode has a fabulous DIY LED Dress on sale for $250 Canadian Dollars. The symetrical or asymetrical designs use sensors that respond to changes in light, temperature or acceleration and activate a series of lights on the dress.

The kit includes:

• Dress pattern and graphics printed on 100% cotton
• Lining pattern and circuit guides printed on Polyester Blend
• Conductive zipper
• Programmed lilypad arduino
• 15 LEDs
• Conductive thread
• Batteries and charger included

We think this is a great project for students or rising enthusiasts to have hands-on experience in inetegrating werable technology into clothing.  This will inspire and hopefully motivate those DIY-ers to create other innovative wearable designs.

Via [FashioningTechnology]

The 8th edition of DMY International Design Festival 2010 will kick off with a grand opening ceremony on June 9 and it’s looking wearable-tastic! With over 10,000 square meters of inspirational prototypes and new products by  over 400 designers, the event will be an informative event for all enthusiasts.  Those  interested in wearbles can get an ear and handful with V2 labs’ V2_E-Textile Workspace.  Participants will work with workshop leaders to learn the goals and key concepts of the field and build a simple soft interface into one of their own existing garments.

Via [Electricfoxy.com]

Franwell is a technology company dedicated to the development of leading edge products and services with a focus on supply chain solutions and RFID integration.  With a long list of products, they have added a very wearable design to their resume: the rfid>Sleeve.  A wearable RFID system that consists of a reader and an antenna enabled by Bluetooth or wifi, the rfid>Sleeve is designed to be worn on the lower arm and automatically scans RFID tags on products, cases or containers as the user handles them in their normal workflow.  This simple innovation that will clearly be useful for shipping  and supply chain applications, but what if the technology was expanded to other industries? Imagine going shopping with this cool gadget? Or working in the facility management industry and gathering information on buildings and the offices/apartments within each building?  Pretty cool stuff we say. Pretty cool indeed. 

Via [RFiD Technology]

Janet Hansen is President and Chief Fashion Engineer of Enlighted Designs, Inc., a California based business that creates custom illuminated clothing.  With over 10 years of experience, she founded the business to create her ideal position as a light-up clothing designer and it has taken her further than she ever anticipated. With a growing celebrity clientele that includes Kanye West, MIA, Daft Punks and Katy Perry (just to name a few) Hansen has mastered illuminated clothing for the stage performance. Janet is a one stop shop for light up clothing.  She makes her own controller circuits and seems to have a real pulse on making solid light-oriented wearables. Her company offers everything from ready-to-wear limited edition pieces like hats, ties and bras,  to more Lady Gaga-esque custom orders that fulfill your every visual need.  

Interested in learning how to light up your own pieces? Check out Janet’s Instructables on a LED and EL based designs.

Via [MrLightPainting]

What’s a wearable upgrade?  It’s taking any clothing or accessory and adding some element of wearable technology to the design.  Still not clear? Take Rhianna’s Alexandre Vauthier jacket and dress illuminated and developed by innovative fashion designer  Mortiz Waldemeyer .

The couture dress uses a combination of compressed gas systems  and video capable LED circuits to light up the stage (and her dress) with a moving light sequence . 

Just a week after Katy Perry’s CuteCircuit gown, Rhianna may have upped the ante. 

Via [FashioningTechnology]

Biggest red carpet faux pas: wearing  the same outfit as someone else.  Katy Perry, of course, had nothing to worry at last night’s MET Gala.  Infact, the spotlight was on her CuteCircuit couture gown with flowing silk chiffon and over 3000 LEDs creating a rainbow of colours shimmering around her.  

Our vote: the best way to show up the celeb-competition at the Oscars of Fashion.

Read more about CuteCircuit after the jump!

Via [TheSuperficial]

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According to the American Music Therapy Association(AMATA), music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals. These goals can range from bettering social interactions  amongst the menatlly handicap or austic, to reducing stress levels among terminally ill patients.  After reading Talk2MyShirt’s posting on the Bio Circuit Vest we did a little research and found the subject absolutely fascinating…and opportune for the wearables community.

The vest,  created by two students at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, monitors your heart rate and based on that information plays music to “match” your “mood”.  That  is, if you’re super calm and chilled-out-man it plays chill sounds. Inversely, if your excited and heart rate is high, the vest  plays a cacophony of sounds through the  speakers connected to an MP3 player.  Arguably,  the vest does have a therapeutic aspect but – we think – can be repurposed specifically for the use of music therapy.

Imagine a crying baby, a person with autism or a terminal patient wearing this vest/sweater/wrap (or however it’s to be packaged) being instantly soothed – at least momentarily – by classical music  from the embedded speakers playing as the wearer’s heart rate increases past a certain “calm” zone.

Simple and effective. 

Have any other ideas on how this product can be used (or altered)? Let us know!