Fit for purpose? Pattern cutting and seams in wearables development

This paper describes how a group of practitioners and researchers are working across disciplines at Nottingham Trent University in the area of Technical Textiles. It introduces strands of ongoing enquiry centred around the development and application of stretch sensors on the body, focusing on how textile and fashion knowledge are being reflexively revealed in the collaborative development of seamful wearable concepts, and on the tensions between design philosophies as revealed by definitions of purpose. We discuss the current research direction of the Aeolia project, which seeks to exploit the literal gaps found in pattern cutting for fitted stretch garments towards experiential forms and potential interactions. Normative goals of fitness for purpose and seamlessness are interrogated and the potential for more integrated design processes, which may at first appear ‘upside down’, is discussed

The design of fashionable wearables to promote sustainable behaviours in smart cities

A falta de sustentabilidade que ameaça o nosso futuro necessita de atenção urgente, exigindo uma abordagem holística. Contudo, ações explicitamente destinadas a mudar o comportamento humano não são muito comuns quando, paradoxalmente, grande parte do impacto ambiental está associado ao comportamento das pessoas na sua vida quotidiana. Muitas ações insustentáveis estão atualmente a ter lugar nas cidades, causando impactos negativos. As cidades oferecem respostas a muitas necessidades da vida, o que motiva as pessoas a procurarem estes espaços, causando uma concentração populacional. Esta procura do meio urbano decorre da expectativa de ter melhor qualidade de vida. A mobilidade urbana, por seu lado, que pode ser vista como um facilitador do acesso a múltiplas componentes da vida quotidiana, incluindo empregos, educação, cuidados de saúde e muitos outros pode, também, gerar congestionamentos, poluição, um acrescido consumo energético e aumento de stress, afetando diretamente a qualidade de vida das pessoas. Neste contexto, as escolhas pessoais quanto à mobilidade têm um impacto substancial na vida quotidiana. Contudo, dado que as cidades estão a tornar-se “inteligentes”, graças à aplicação de tecnologias emergentes de identificação, deteção e comunicação, nomeadamente com recurso à tecnologia da Internet das Coisas (IoT – Internet of Things), abrem-se novas possibilidade para alteração dos comportamentos da vida quotidiana, com impacto na sustentabilidade. Este desenvolvimento tecnológico tem vindo a ser explorado em múltiplas áreas, incluindo energia / instalações, transportes, cuidados de saúde, segurança, monitorização doméstica, entre outras, sendo reconhecido como uma tendência com forte crescimento a curto prazo. Neste contexto, este estudo pretendeu explorar a possibilidade de promover comportamentos de mobilidade considerados mais sustentáveis através do design de artigos de moda que possam funcionar como elementos ativos no sistema de uma cidade “inteligente”. A possibilidade de combinação de funcionalidade e sedução, o poder motivador da moda, combinado com tecnologia avançada e sensores, foi entendido como tendo fortes argumentos para ser bem-sucedido na modificação do comportamento. Como ocorre com muitos outros produtos, os produtos da moda são pensados para responder às expetativas, necessidades e limitações das pessoas, onde convivem aspetos funcionais, ergonómicos, afetivos e emocionais, fortemente focados na experiência e no envolvimento, mas com assumido enfoque na componente estética, estilo, estatuto e formação de identidade. Estes são parte essencial da mudança de comportamento. As tecnologias digitais embutidas nos têxteis oferecem oportunidades significativas de alargamento das funcionalidades dos produtos de moda, incluindo a comunicação, transformação da informação do nosso corpo em dados, conduzindo energia, brilhando, crescendo e muitos outros. Alguns bons exemplos deste tipo podem já ser encontrados na promoção da segurança humana, saúde/ bem-estar, treino militar e entretenimento. Nesta investigação, o termo “fashionable wearables” é adotado para enfatizar a combinação de moda e tecnologia. Importa ressalvar que o objetivo deste estudo não foi trabalhar questões de moda sustentável, que é outra questão vital, mas que fica fora do recorte deste trabalho. O principal objetivo foi explorar como e em que medida as soluções de “fashionable wearables” podem promover comportamentos mais sustentáveis em cidades inteligentes. As escolhas de mobilidade foram selecionadas como comportamentos-alvo que se pretendem alterar. Para o conseguir, foi utilizada uma metodologia mista, de acordo com a abordagem do Design Centrado no Humano. A abordagem do Design para a Mudança de Comportamento foi utilizada para fornecer soluções a um nível do design conceptual. Este estudo de doutoramento foi pensado como uma investigação pelo design, no qual o design conceptual desempenhou um papel formativo na geração do conhecimento. Utilizámos dados qualitativos e quantitativos para explorar o contexto, identificar os tópicos, gerar ideias e soluções e verificar conceitos para cumprir objetivos. A metodologia proposta foi dividida em cinco fases: (1) Compreender, (2) Descobrir, (3) Design Conceptual, (4) Protótipo, e (5) Avaliação. Na primeira fase, aprofundámos os conhecimentos teóricos sobre temas de investigação e fizemos revisões de literatura. Compreendemos a noção atual de sustentabilidade e do comportamento sustentável com entrevistas a peritos e métodos de mapeamento de conceitos. Identificámos comportamentos sustentáveis e exemplificámo-los considerando domínios da vida quotidiana e tipos de comportamento. Determinámos os comportamentos que têm um impacto mais negativo na vida quotidiana. No final, decidimos concentrar-nos nos comportamentos de mobilidade. Na segunda fase, explorámos os obstáculos à adoção e/ou manutenção de comportamentos sustentáveis. Conduzimos sessões de grupos focais para descobrir necessidades dos utilizadores, exigências, problemas e desculpas razoáveis para não adotar ações de mobilidade sustentável e níveis de preferência/satisfação dos modos de mobilidade. Depois de traçarmos as oportunidades potenciais para um maior desenvolvimento, identificámos os comportamentos sustentáveis alvo, em que nos iriamos focar, em particular o caminhar e partilhar bicicletas, na vida da cidade. Na terceira fase, identificámos utilizadores-alvo, desenvolvemos personas e um cenário narrativo representando potenciais perfis de utilizadores e problemas. Ilustrámos storyboards, gerámos ideias. Apesar de o estudo se rever no paradigma sócio-critico, as soluções conceptuais geradas foram baseadas em Estratégias de Mudança de Comportamento e problemas observados em potenciais utilizadores, bem como em oportunidades futuras recolhidas a partir de relatórios de previsão e não apenas nas possibilidades tecnológicas atuais. Realizámos entrevistas de avaliação por peritos para alimentar a ideação, fazer a avaliação e refinamento das propostas, com a participação de especialistas em diferentes campos do saber, incluindo design de interfaces, produto, têxtil, moda, interação e ciência, incluindo engenharia, computador, física, software. Na quarta fase, visualizámos ideias conceptuais de produtos e sistemas com “storyboarding” de soluções. Desenvolvemos “mock-ups” e um protótipo em vídeo do vestuário de moda, para permitir a avaliação da experiência de utilização antecipada. O protótipo de vídeo forjou o que seriam as futuras ofertas de tecnologia inteligente em termos de interface e exibição do e-textile com animação por computador e ferramentas de edição de vídeo. Demos aos potenciais utilizadores a impressão de que estavam a interagir com um sistema real antes deste existir, o que proporcionou a tangibilização possível da solução para a fase de avaliação. Na última fase, avaliámos o desenho conceptual dum “fashionable wearable” para testar a motivação do utilizador em aderir ao comportamento desejável e a usabilidade do artefacto. Utilizámos o Questionário de Experiência de Utilização (UEQ), avaliando a sua experiência considerando a perspicuidade, eficiência, estímulo, atratividade, novidade e fiabilidade do design conceptual. Obtivemos também feedback e sugestões dos utilizadores. O conceito foi avaliado positivamente. Encontrámos um estímulo significativo para a mudança de comportamento, que sugere que os artigos de moda, se usados como parte de uma estratégia de mudança de comportamento, podem influenciar a adoção de comportamentos mais sustentáveis no contexto da mobilidade urbana em cidades “inteligentes”. Em última análise, esta investigação de doutoramento contribuiu para o campo do design de moda, design para comportamento sustentável, design para mudança de comportamento e sustentabilidade.The lack of sustainability that threatens our future needs urgent attention, requiring a holistic approach. However, actions explicitly aimed at changing human behaviour are not very common when, paradoxically, much of the environmental impact is associated with the behaviour of users in everyday life. Many unsustainable actions are currently taking place in cities, causing negative impacts. Cities offer access to many requirements of life that causes a population shift. Significantly, mobility facilitates access to all necessities of life in urban areas. Considering the potential to generate congestion, pollution and preventing freedom of accessibility, mobility can directly affect the quality of air and quality of life. Since cities are becoming smart thanks to emerging technologies, smart mobility has growing in importance and concerns more about being effective and sustainable. In this matter, mobility choices have a substantial impact on daily life. This study intended to promote mobility behaviours considered more sustainable through the design of fashionable wearables that can work as active elements of the system in the smart city context. The combination of body-related functionality and seduction, as well as the motivating power of fashion, combined with advanced technology and sensors, provided a strong motivation for contributing to behaviour change. The main objective was to explore how and to what extent solutions of fashionable wearables can promote more sustainable behaviours in smart cities. Mobility choices were selected as target behaviours that are desired to be altered. To achieve this, a mixed methodology according to the Human-Centred Design approach was used to gain information about needs and demands. Design for Behaviour Change strategies were used to provide solutions at a conceptual design level. We evaluated the conceptual design with a key element of fashionable wearable to test the motivation of the user to use and adhere the usability of the design to determine behaviour intervention. The conceptual design was evaluated positively, and we found the meaningful stimulus for the behaviour change

Wearable performance

This is the post-print version of the article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2009 Taylor & FrancisWearable computing devices worn on the body provide the potential for digital interaction in the world. A new stage of computing technology at the beginning of the 21st Century links the personal and the pervasive through mobile wearables. The convergence between the miniaturisation of microchips (nanotechnology), intelligent textile or interfacial materials production, advances in biotechnology and the growth of wireless, ubiquitous computing emphasises not only mobility but integration into clothing or the human body. In artistic contexts one expects such integrated wearable devices to have the two-way function of interface instruments (e.g. sensor data acquisition and exchange) worn for particular purposes, either for communication with the environment or various aesthetic and compositional expressions. 'Wearable performance' briefly surveys the context for wearables in the performance arts and distinguishes display and performative/interfacial garments. It then focuses on the authors' experiments with 'design in motion' and digital performance, examining prototyping at the DAP-Lab which involves transdisciplinary convergences between fashion and dance, interactive system architecture, electronic textiles, wearable technologies and digital animation. The concept of an 'evolving' garment design that is materialised (mobilised) in live performance between partners originates from DAP Lab's work with telepresence and distributed media addressing the 'connective tissues' and 'wearabilities' of projected bodies through a study of shared embodiment and perception/proprioception in the wearer (tactile sensory processing). Such notions of wearability are applied both to the immediate sensory processing on the performer's body and to the processing of the responsive, animate environment. Wearable computing devices worn on the body provide the potential for digital interaction in the world. A new stage of computing technology at the beginning of the 21st Century links the personal and the pervasive through mobile wearables. The convergence between the miniaturisation of microchips (nanotechnology), intelligent textile or interfacial materials production, advances in biotechnology and the growth of wireless, ubiquitous computing emphasises not only mobility but integration into clothing or the human body. In artistic contexts one expects such integrated wearable devices to have the two-way function of interface instruments (e.g. sensor data acquisition and exchange) worn for particular purposes, either for communication with the environment or various aesthetic and compositional expressions. 'Wearable performance' briefly surveys the context for wearables in the performance arts and distinguishes display and performative/interfacial garments. It then focuses on the authors' experiments with 'design in motion' and digital performance, examining prototyping at the DAP-Lab which involves transdisciplinary convergences between fashion and dance, interactive system architecture, electronic textiles, wearable technologies and digital animation. The concept of an 'evolving' garment design that is materialised (mobilised) in live performance between partners originates from DAP Lab's work with telepresence and distributed media addressing the 'connective tissues' and 'wearabilities' of projected bodies through a study of shared embodiment and perception/proprioception in the wearer (tactile sensory processing). Such notions of wearability are applied both to the immediate sensory processing on the performer's body and to the processing of the responsive, animate environment

Pattern changing clothing

People\u27s styles and characters are changed by their environment and their relationship throughout their lifetime. However, the garment that we wear has just one look without accessories because once we wear clothing its appearance doesn\u27t change, even though it is an essential medium to express ourselves. This thesis project\u27s main goal is to make a piece of responsive clothing and to provide users the pleasure of creating their own style. When the clothing is an active medium through interactive communication between a wearer and a garment, it will be a responsive living object for a user. By the use of the developing display technology of E ink, which is thin, rugged, flexible, and segmented, a wearer can change various styles that he/she wants anytime and anyplace. When this E ink clothing displays different pattern, users will be able to make various styles with just one garment. In addition, Pattern Changing Clothing will help wearers enjoy expressing their individuality through the activity of changing or creating styles and patterns as individual customization

Resistively heated fabrics for use in wearable therapeutic devices by Aria H. Reynolds.

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-36).Wearable technology is an emerging multidisciplinary field. When designing wearables, one must draw upon an understanding of: the available soft materials; the motion of the body; as well as comfort, fashion, and social implications. There is a lot of current research exploring manufacturing processes and user's needs for wearable products, but there are not many products available on the market. Medicine is one field that can benefit from the use of these design principles, however. Patients that require constant care or treatment for chronic diseases have few choices available to them in terms of medical devices. Many available medical products focus only on their functionality, and neglect fashion, convenience, and comfort. Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases are the cause of most disabilities in the United States, and cause chronic pain in joints all over the body. There are few non-invasive treatments available to patients suffering with these diseases, so this project seeks to fill that gap in the market. The Selectively Heated Therapeutic Sweater allows the patient freedom to choose where and when heat treatment is applied to their joints throughout the day. It also takes into consideration their right to privacy and makes the treatment as unobtrusive to daily life as possible. Conductive fabric was used as a resistive heater powered by low-profile button batteries. The connections of this battery pack were made by using fabric snaps which allow for temporary placement and easy removal for washing. The sweater functioned as anticipated, but could have been improved through the use of soft battery holders and conductive threads.S.B

Where fashion, jewellery and wearable technology meet

In this article we relate the fields of fashion, jewellery and wearable technology in terms of the emphasis on respectively social, personal and instrumental values. Moreover, we describe how the subfields of soft wearables, digital jewellery and fashion jewellery emerge on the intersections of these fields. The main contribution of the article is twofold. Firstly, we identify and explore the potential of the area at the cross-section of all three fields, which is so far hardly explored by academia. We discuss what it takes from design-researchers in the field of digital jewellery to explore the newly identified design space: broadening their frame of reference and changing their approach of wearable technology. We suggest to broaden the frame of references from Art Jewellery to jewellery in general. And, we advocate a shift in the perspective on wearable technology, from criticizing what it lacks to appreciating its merits. Within wearable technology, we find technological-sturdy artefacts, which can be used in a cultural probe in order to explore emergent behaviour, interactions and appreciation. Secondly, we argue that this overview should not be misunderstood as static and over-simplified. On the one hand, we need to be aware of the heterogeneity of each of the fields. On the other hand, we like to stress the relativity of the differences between the fields. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of looking at the overview on different levels of detail, cherishing and challenging both similarities and differences of fashion, jewellery, wearable technology, in order to explore the full potential of these three fields and all possible intersections

Moveable worlds/digital scenographies

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ Intellect Ltd 2010.The mixed reality choreographic installation UKIYO explored in this article reflects an interest in scenographic practices that connect physical space to virtual worlds and explore how performers can move between material and immaterial spaces. The spatial design for UKIYO is inspired by Japanese hanamichi and western fashion runways, emphasizing the research production company's commitment to various creative crossovers between movement languages, innovative wearable design for interactive performance, acoustic and electronic sound processing and digital image objects that have a plastic as well as an immaterial/virtual dimension. The work integrates various forms of making art in order to visualize things that are not in themselves visual, or which connect visual and kinaesthetic/tactile/auditory experiences. The ‘Moveable Worlds’ in this essay are also reflections of the narrative spaces, subtexts and auditory relationships in the mutating matrix of an installation-space inviting the audience to move around and follow its sensorial experiences, drawn near to the bodies of the dancers.Brunel University, the British Council, and the Japan Foundation