Stretch-Sensing Bracelet

Craft & Design

Today I’m at the MIT Media Lab meeting with some of the most awesome folks in wearable technology, including Hannah Perner-Wilson, a grad student in the High Low Tech research group. She made the above stretch-sensitive bracelet, which uses conductive thread and resistive yarn to make an LED light up when the bracelet is stretched.

8 thoughts on “Stretch-Sensing Bracelet

  1. Anonymous says:

    just out of curiousity…why does someone want or need this? not trying to be mean, just wondering.

  2. Becky Stern says:

    Because putting lights in your clothing and accessories and working with soft electronics is just as fun for some people as knitting is for others. Try it out and see! =]

  3. Janey says:

    I can see tons of reasons to want–even need–this. What fun to build this technology into all forms of clothing. It would be interesting to have little flashes of color in clothing as one moved around. I would surely love for my bicycling husband to have bicycle clothing that lighted up as he moved. With the tightness and stretchiness of biking clothing that would seem a perfect combination for this. I guess the same could be said for joggers. How about a dog leash with some stretchiness that would light up. With darkness coming so early now here, I have had problems seeing the dog walkers in my neighborhood. Every little bit of light helps to keep people safe. And, this would be a pretty inexpensive one at that. These are just some ideas that popped up in a minute or so to answer the other commenter. Think of how many ideas could grow by brainstorming for a few hours. Way to go, Hannah! I’m looking forward to seeing this idea take off in all kinds of directions.

  4. jpp says:

    Is not just apparel… May be a cheap way to detect breathing rate with a sweater or presence on a coach or…..

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Becky Stern is a Content Creator at Autodesk/Instructables, and part time faculty at New York’s School of Visual Arts Products of Design grad program. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions, and she's created hundreds of free online DIY tutorials and videos, mostly about technology and its intersection with crafts. Find her @bekathwia on YouTube/Twitter/Instagram.

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