The world of wearables is becoming an increasingly popular way for makers to express their creativity. From custom watches and connected jewelry to full-body suits that allow you to interact with your environment, the possibilities are endless. Learning about wearable electronics can be a bit daunting for those who are just starting out – but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re looking for guidance on where to get started with Arduino programming or inspiration from some of the projects out there, this blog category has got you covered. Here we will provide tutorials and resources on creating interactive wearables as well as a look at the work of some inspiring makers that should give you the motivation to dive right in!
This is a handy little maker-friendly list of construction tips from Eric – “Everybody has their own way of doing things. Here are a few of my favorite construction methods. Choosing Solder, Using Altoids Tins, Manhattan-Style Islands, Manhattan-Style with IC’s, PCB Enclosures, Kynar Wirewrap Wire.” Link.
Ian’s new Instructable looks great for Nixie tube hackers, but be careful this one requires a lot of care. He writes “This SMPS boosts low voltage (5-20 volts) to the high voltage needed to drive nixie tubes (170-200 volts). Be warned: even though this small circuit can be operated on batteries/low voltage wall-worts, the output is more than enough to kill you!” Link.
Sans writes “The cheapest way to remotely control a device within a visible range is via Infra-Red light. Almost all audio and video equipment can be controlled this way nowadays. Due to this wide spread use the required components are quite cheap, thus making it ideal for us hobbyists to use IR control for our own projects. This part of my knowledge base will explain the theory of operation of IR remote control, and some of the protocols that are in use in consumer electronics.” Link.
Brian writes in with the best and only resource I’ve seen that has most of the Head Mounted Displays / VR-Helmets in the market – “No instructions on how to make your own, but if you were going to make your own, you’d probably want to start here…” Link. See our previous use our previous us of VR glasses with the iPod VR.
Want to study sharks? Build your own Tintin-esque sub – “The grandson of famous oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau believes the best way to learn about sharks is to become one. Fabien Cousteau, inspired as a child by the comic book Red Rackham’s Treasure, where the main character, Tintin, adventures underwater in a shark-shaped submarine, decided as an adult to build his own.” Thanks Saul! Link. Nation Geographic has an update on the story too.
This is from earlier this year, but I didn’t see how it was done – so here it is. Ever want to make your own TRON lightcycle game? But not a video game, real life! Here’s a page that details how a group of racers hacked up gear and software to make a real life TRON racing game. Ingredients: “gps-receiver, backpack with laptop(Tatonka Serverpack with Gateway Solo 2500), keyboard, trackball (from old broken laptop), helmet (giro switchblade) with display (old viewfinder)” Link.
Here’s a Flickr photo set on making a belt buckle from a hard drive. Ingredients: Hard Drive platter (Jaz disk), paper clip, hacksaw, screw(s), and small sheet of basswood (for guide). Out of the recent “technology” on a belt projects, I think I like this one the most – it’s subtle but still recognizable. [via] Link.
