Smart Clothes

[Overlandman]

If Apple had of teamed up with Levi, we could of had the IZIP or the IFLY
Anyway, I can see in the future that Technical Clothing will be a big part of our lives.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-30/g ... es/6509098

Google has announced it is working with US jean maker Levi Strauss to make clothing from specially woven fabric with touch-screen control capabilities.

The internet giant revealed the technology, dubbed Project Jacquard, at its annual developers conference in San Francisco, spotlighting Levi Strauss as its first partner.

Named after a Frenchman who invented a type of loom, Project Jacquard is in the hands of a small Google team called Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP), which is different from the Google (x) lab that develops big-vision innovations such as self-driving cars.

"We are enabling interactive textiles," Emre Karagozler of Google ATAP told viewers at the conference display.

"We do it by weaving conductive threads into fabric."

The special threads can be woven into a wide array of fabrics, and be made to visually stand out or go unnoticed depending on designers' wishes.

Conductivity can be limited to desired parts of fabric or spread across entire cloth.
"It is stretchable; it is washable," Mr Karagozler said, as people controlled lights or computer screens with finger strokes on a blue cloth covering a table in the display area behind him.

"It is just like normal fabric."

Project Jacquard makes it possible to weave touch and gesture interactivity into any textile using standard, industrial looms, according to Google.

Anything involving fabric, from suits or dresses to furniture or carpet, could potentially have computer touch-pad style control capabilities woven.

Conductive yarn is connected to tiny circuits, no bigger than jacket buttons, with miniaturized electronics that can use algorithms to recognize touches or swipes, ATAP said.

The data can be sent wirelessly to smartphones or other devices, enabling actions such as making phone calls or sending messages with brushes of fabric.

"In our hyper-digital world, people constantly struggle to be physically present in their environment while maintaining a digital connection," Levi Strauss' head of global product innovation Paul Dillinger said.

"The work that Google and Levi's are embarking upon with Project Jacquard delivers an entirely new value to consumers with apparel that is emotional, aspirational and functional."

[north-north-west]

I refuse to wear something with more neurons than my brain.

[vicrev]

The way I am going, I need all the help I can get....neurons,neutrons,peutrons,diotrons,whatever......Bring it on..

[neilmny]

#$@%^&ing rediculous.......google already control what we search for .....what next

[icefest]

There are some what this could be pretty useful.

Having a set of ski goggles with something like google glass, in combination with ski pants with a keyboard means you could answer emails and type letter while skiing.

[north-north-west]

Goggles with the GPS display, sure. Anything else - get lost. I go bush to get away from that sort of thing, not to drag it all around with me.

[neilmny]

There are some what this could be pretty useful.

Having a set of ski goggles with something like google glass, in combination with ski pants with a keyboard means you could answer emails and type letter while skiing.

Hmmm....can't help but think there's a fair amount of tongue in cheek here icefest.....the goggles gps for bad weather interesting but ......the keyboard pants..........you must be one hell of a skier or in the words of John Mackenro "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS" ........... but then again you could have gloves that you could write things in the air with your index finger.......and when you make a mistake just make a rubbing out action and start over again...........although security could be an issue because someone elses clothes might just read what you are writing..........

[north-north-west]

...not to mention all the problems when you blokes are constantly 'adjusting your clothing' in various regions...and what happens when you go to the loo?

[neilmny]

...not to mention all the problems when you blokes are constantly 'adjusting your clothing' in various regions...and what happens when you go to the loo?

talk about mixed signals

[GPSGuided]

I just want invisible fabric, so that I can truly blend into the bush.

[icefest]

Have you never used your phone while on the lift and been worried about dropping it?

It'd be easier to meet up with people.

Invisible clothes almost sounds like the emperor's new clothes. I'm not sure I'd want to be invisible myself out Bush. In public it would be nice though.

[neilmny]

Have you never used your phone while on the lift and been worried about dropping it? .........

Your right........I'd never be game to take my phone out on a lift. There's usually a trail of allsorts under the lifts...particularly gloves and dropped poles..........maybe different parts of the trousers for different numbers........say touch your pocket...ring the bank.....do one of those famous Michael Jackson grips...ring the wife or girl friend......then there's the knees to ring the boss to tell him your having a sicky....it has possibilities.

Last edited by neilmny on Sun 31 May, 2015 3:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Gadgetgeek]

I'm more thinking the possibilities of a pack-lid size GPS antenna, or a avi-beacon jacket. lots of things that if they could be woven into the cloth, and in such a way that they are resistant to wear over time, it could be really useful. a couple of sensors and your tent is also a weather predicting station. LEDs in the fingertips of gloves?