12. Skin Electronics¶

Skin Electronics 🖐️✨¶

This week, we explored the fascinating world of skin electronics, where technology becomes a part of the body. It’s not just wearable—it’s like a second skin! 🎥💡

Human-Device Symbiosis¶

Biotech and tech companies are collaborating with creative professionals—like makeup artists, prosthesis experts, and tattooists—to make this vision a reality.

🖌️ Example: FX E-Makeup¶

FX e-makeup uses special effects makeup to hide electronic components that sense facial muscle movements.
- Functionality: Acts as a second skin. - Innovation: Combines beauty and technology seamlessly.

Why It’s Exciting 🚀¶

This combination of creativity and technology is redefining how we interact with devices, showing us a glimpse of the future where humans and devices work together effortlessly.

Now, let me share some fascinating references that highlight groundbreaking work in this field! 🚀✨

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Process and workflow¶

I really loved the idea of Carnival Masks from our lecture—interactive masks that light up to the beat of the music! 🎶💡 It inspired me to create something similar. I started brainstorming how to bring this idea to life, and I decided to use Adafruit Flora and NeoPixel

Tool	Description
Conductive Threads	Special threads that conduct electricity, used for creating circuits in wearable electronics or embroidery projects.
Adafruit Flora	A small, sewable microcontroller that allows integration of sensors, LEDs, and other electronics into fabric-based projects.
NeoPixel	A type of individually addressable RGB LED, perfect for creating customizable lighting effects in wearables and interactive designs.
Mouliné Embroidery Thread	A type of high-quality thread used in embroidery, ideal for creating fine details in textile-based projects.
Lithium Battery	A lightweight and rechargeable power source, commonly used in wearables to provide energy to electronic components like LEDs and microcontrollers.
Conductive Tape	A tape made with conductive material that can be used for creating circuits on fabric, ensuring the flow of electricity between components.

Project Development: Connecting NeoPixel with Adafruit Flora 🌟💡¶

I began thinking about how I could connect the NeoPixel with the Adafruit Flora in a way that the conductive threads wouldn’t touch each other. The reason for this is that if the conductive threads touch, it could cause a short circuit, preventing the lights or other electronic components from functioning correctly. ⚡❌

Then, an idea came to mind: what if I could close the threads to keep them separate and still allow them to connect properly? 🤔 I realized that I could use something to encase or secure the threads in place.

Since I’ve known the Macramé technique since childhood 🧶, I thought it could be the perfect solution. By using Mouliné embroidery thread, I could carefully knot and secure the conductive threads, keeping them separate and ensuring the connections are intact. This way, the conductive threads wouldn’t touch each other, and the circuit would work smoothly! ✅🔌

Connecting Adafruit Flora to NeoPixel with Alligator Clips for Testing

First, I tried hooking up the alligator clips to the Adafruit Flora to make sure everything was working properly. I connected one clip to VOUT, one to D6, and one to GND. For clarity, I used a red wire for power and a black wire for ground, but the colors don’t really matter.

Then, I connected the other ends of the clips to the NeoPixel. I attached VOUT to the + on the pixel, GND to the -, and D6 to the pad marked with an arrow pointing towards the LED on the tiny board (not away from it). This setup helped me ensure that the circuit worked as expected. ✅🔌

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Creating Macramé with Conductive Threads and Securing with Conductive Tape

Once I was sure everything was working, I started creating the Macramé with the conductive threads. 🧶 After completing the Macramé, I also used conductive tape to secure the threads to the Adafruit Flora. This was important because, during our assignment, I realized that the threads alone weren’t enough to ensure a solid connection. The conductive tape helped to ensure everything stayed in place and worked properly. ✅🔌

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Once all the threads and pins were connected, I used a cable to connect everything and opened Arduino to write the code. Since my threads are purple and blue, I also made sure to write the code in a way that matched the colors, so everything would work together seamlessly. 💻💜💙

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#define LED_PIN    6 // Pin connected to the NeoPixel strip
#define LED_COUNT 60 // Number of NeoPixels in the strip

Adafruit_NeoPixel strip(LED_COUNT, LED_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

void setup() {
  strip.begin();           // Initialize the NeoPixel strip
  strip.show();            // Turn off all pixels
  strip.setBrightness(50); // Set brightness (adjust as needed, max = 255)
}

void loop() {
  colorTransition(0, 0, 255, 127, 0, 255, 50); // Transition from blue to purple
}

// Function to transition colors
void colorTransition(uint8_t r1, uint8_t g1, uint8_t b1, uint8_t r2, uint8_t g2, uint8_t b2, int steps) {
  for (int step = 0; step <= steps; step++) {
    // Calculate intermediate color values
    uint8_t r = map(step, 0, steps, r1, r2);
    uint8_t g = map(step, 0, steps, g1, g2);
    uint8_t b = map(step, 0, steps, b1, b2);

    // Set the color for all pixels
    for (int i = 0; i < strip.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(r, g, b));
    }
    strip.show(); // Update the strip with new color
    delay(50);    // Adjust delay for smoother or faster transitions
  }
}

Testing NeoPixel Strip with Lithium Battery¶

I connected my NeoPixel strip to a lithium battery using alligator clips to check if everything works. I made sure to connect the ground first, then the positive wire to the NeoPixel and the microcontroller.

Once I was sure everything was working fine, I connected the wires to the Adafruit Flora using conductive tape, just like I did with the threads earlier. The tape made it easy to attach the wires securely, ensuring a stable connection without needing to solder. This setup allowed me to test the NeoPixel strip with the Flora, and everything worked as expected!

I asked Christina if she could be my model for the skin electronics project. I used conductive tape to secure the NeoPixels onto her skin, carefully placing them in the desired pattern. The tape helped to keep the NeoPixels in place while also ensuring that the connections were stable for testing the skin electronics. It was exciting to see the setup come to life on her skin!

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I explored how macramé threads could offer a unique and beautiful solution for integrating NeoPixels into wearable electronics. Macramé, with its intricate patterns and flexibility, provides an ideal medium for attaching electronic components to the skin while maintaining a delicate, aesthetic appearance. The threads can be easily woven around the NeoPixels, creating a natural and artistic design that complements the functionality of the electronics.

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The Skin Electronics week was an exciting and hands-on experience, where I explored the intersection of electronics and wearable technology. During this week, I focused on integrating NeoPixels and conductive tape to create flexible and interactive designs that could be applied to the skin. My main goal was to test how electronic components, like LEDs, could be attached to the human body while maintaining functionality.