NATALIE CARDENAS
TOUCH SENSITIVE
DIGITAL FABRIC
For this project, we were looking to make a touch-sensitive fabric that responds to the current humans produce to emit a sound. Our product was to be shown in a responsive teddy bear that would serve as a friend for children in hospitals. Future additions include a temperature reader, so one could have a more pleasant experience while running diagnostics. Working under Yoel Fink, we had access to conductive fibers, which are composed of a plastic insulating lining with a copper wire running underneath. We also had access to thing conductive wire that was worked specially well for creating fabrics.
Bugs the Friend
For the purposes of showcasing the fabric, we included the teddy bear to model one of its potential future uses. The actual knitting fabric design lies in the front pocket and the hand of the teddy bear, where you see the grey knit pocket and "Bugs" embroidered into the hand. Depending on which hand you touch results in a different tune that is played.
The code responds to noise and changes in capacitive sensing, reading the signals sent from the body. The pocket holds a thermistor, which is woven as thread into the front pocket. The hand holds capacitive thread. Some of the challenges presented with this project was manipulating the fabric to make it pass easier through the knitting and sewing machine. This resulted in the hand to be embroidered and a mastery shown in the woven pocket in the front.
I led the creation of the fabric, the design, and market of the team. I also aided in the writing of the code of the product.
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