New Textiles 2012 using arduino

Twist Switch

by ttseng

Through the action of twisting, swatches of conductive fabric are folded in upon each other, completing a circuit that then turns on LEDs.
New Textiles 2012
On each face of stretched spandex are swatches of conductive fabric. Before choosing which swatches to designate as either + or -, I tested the twisting motion to identify which swatches were coming into contact. Some clearly were never going to touch, while others made contact when twisted in one direction while failing to connect when twisted the other way.

http://vimeo.com/37904951

The four faces are divided into 3 sensors. The following diagram maps out the routes of the positive and negative currents and how they hook up to the input / output pins on the Lilypad arduino.

Faces 1 + 2 (F1 + F2) share a positive circuit which together go into input A2.

Likewise, F3 goes into A3 and F4 goes into A5.

New Textiles 2012

The resistances for each of the sensors share a similar range: approx. 1000 ohms when at rest and 16 ohms when touching.  Therefore, the voltages range from 4.86volts when at rest to 4.99volts when activated (nearly the full 5volts of power that comes from my computer).

The arduino code was written such that when the piece is twisted (and the resistances dip below 600 ohms), LED 1 + LED 2 turn on. Similarly, LED 3 and LED 4 also turn on, but blink … with LED 3 blinking twice as fast as LED 4.

 

For more detail: New Textiles 2012


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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