9. Wearables¶

Research¶

At the beginning of this project, I conducted extensive research online, searching for existing wearable designs that could reflect the concept I aimed to express: the fusion of chaos and technology in an artistic and emotional way. However, I struggled to find a direct reference or project that matched the unique vision I had in mind.

I was specifically looking for projects that used randomness as a form of emotional expression — whether through light or movement — and that explored the relationship between the body and interactive technology. Most of the work I found leaned toward either pure tech experiments or structured aesthetics, which didn’t align with the visual chaos I wanted to communicate.

Inspiration¶

Due to the lack of direct references, I decided to rely on my own imagination and visual thinking as my main source of inspiration. My concept involved designing a headpiece made of burgundy tulle fabric, integrated with small lights that flicker in a random pattern. The tulle symbolizes fragility and transparency, while the chaotic blinking of the lights represents inner tension and fluctuating emotions.

I was partially inspired by experimental fashion, surrealist art, and interactive installations that respond to the body or environment in unexpected ways. These references motivated me to develop a piece that merges aesthetics with emotion and reflects internal chaos through both sensory and technological means.

Process and Workflow¶

1. Initial Pattern Attempt¶

I began by testing the pattern for the headpiece using a mannequin head. However, I quickly realized that the result was too small and didn’t fit properly. It also lacked the aesthetic form I was aiming for.

2. Creating a Custom Head Pattern¶

To create a more accurate and personal fit, I decided to work directly on my own head. My classmate, ola , helped me with this step. She wrapped my head with plastic wrap to form a base mold.

3. Applying Paper Tape¶

After securing the plastic wrap, we applied layers of paper masking tape over it to create a surface that could hold its shape and be cut later into a pattern.

4. Cutting the Pattern¶

Once the layers were firm, I carefully drew and cut out the desired shape of the headpiece directly from the taped mold. This shape served as the final base pattern.

5. Transferring the Pattern to Fabric¶

I then transferred the paper pattern onto the final fabric (burgundy tulle) and cut out the fabric pieces accordingly.

6. Sewing the Headpiece¶

I stitched the fabric pieces together to assemble the base of the headpiece, forming the final wearable shape.

7. Adding the Electronics¶

After constructing the textile base, I began attaching the light components to the headpiece. These would later be connected to the circuit and programmed to blink randomly, in line with my concept.

Materials Used in the Project¶

Category	Material / Tool	Purpose
Textile	Burgundy tulle fabric	Used to create the base headpiece structure
Molding & Base	Plastic wrap (cling film)	Wrapped around the head to form the base pattern mold
	Paper masking tape	Applied over the plastic wrap to build a cuttable form
	Double-sided or hot glue	To attach electronic components to the fabric
Electronics	Arduino Nano or ATtiny85	Microcontroller for running the light interaction
	Breadboard (for prototyping)	Used to test the circuit before attaching it to the cap
	Resistor (220 ohm)	To protect the LED
	Small LED light	Used for chaotic light output inside the headpiece
	LDR (light sensor)	Detects light levels for interactive response
	Jumper wires	To connect electronic components
	Copper tape	For flexible circuit paths on the textile surface
Programming	USB cable	For uploading code to the Arduino
	Laptop	Used to write/upload code using Arduino IDE

Programming and Testing the Code¶

After attaching the lighting components to the headpiece, I programmed the code using Arduino IDE. The goal was to create a random blinking effect that responds to ambient light, in line with the project’s concept of chaos.

Once the code was complete, I uploaded it to a mini controller and connected it to the circuit for testing.

During this trial, I confirmed that the system worked as intended — the LED responded to changes in light levels and created the desired random flickering effect on the fabric headpiece.

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#define PIN 6          // المخرج المتصل بـ DIN
#define NUMPIXELS 1    // عدد وحدات NeoPixel

Adafruit_NeoPixel pixels(NUMPIXELS, PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

void setup() {
  pixels.begin(); // بدء المكتبة
}

void loop() {
  pixels.setPixelColor(0, pixels.Color(255, 0, 0)); // أحمر
  pixels.show();
  delay(1000);

  pixels.setPixelColor(0, pixels.Color(0, 255, 0)); // أخضر
  pixels.show();
  delay(1000);

  pixels.setPixelColor(0, pixels.Color(0, 0, 255)); // أزرق
  pixels.show();
  delay(1000);
}