Wearables🌸⚡

Session Nutshell 🌰🐚

This week began with a showcase of everyone’s soft robotics projects, and let me tell you—it was awe-inspiring! From creative explorations to innovative concepts, the showcase was nothing short of magical. ✨

And just like that, Wearables Week officially kicked off! 🎉 I was super excited to see what new skills and knowledge this week would bring. The anticipation was high, and so was my curiosity!

As always, Liza was absolutely incredible with the depth of her knowledge. 🌟 I was especially excited to learn about thermochromic pigments, flip dots, and the creative possibilities of NeoPixels! The idea of combining technology with textiles to create something wearable felt exhilarating.

Assignment Deep Dive 📝

Wearables Week came with its own exciting set of challenges and learning outcomes. Here's what we were expected to achieve and explore:

Learning Outcomes

Research skills: the participant has acquired knowledge through references and Concept development

Design skills: the participant has learnt by programming a microcontroller, design a circuit and schematic

Fabrication skills: the participant acquired skills necessary to integrate inputs and outputs in a microcontroller wearable project

Process skills: Anyone can go through the process, understand it and reproduce it

Final outcome: Assembled project, functioning and complete

Originality: Has the design been thought through and elaborated?

Students Checklist ✅

✅ Document the concept, sketches, references also to artistic and scientific publications

✅ Create a swatch/sample using an ATTiny/Arduino/Adafruit with one input and one output, using hard-soft connection solutions and battery

✅ Create 2 actuator swatches and test them with the Arduino or ATTiny, chosing from examples such as:

1. motors / mini vibration

2. leds / neopixels

3. flip dot / electromagnet

4. heat pad / with thermochromic coating

5. speaker / mp3 player

6. SMA (shape memory alloy)

✅ Learn how to program an Arduino/ATTiny/Adrafruit, documenting your process, the libraries added, power requirements and source code

✅ Document the schematic and circuit

✅ Upload a small video of your object working

✅ Integrate it to a project (extra credit)

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Project Inspiration 💡

This week’s inspiration came from the brilliant light and motion-based projects I stumbled upon. They opened my mind to endless creative possibilities! Here’s a glimpse of some standout inspirations:

Process Understanding 🧠✨

While I was thrilled to dive into the world of wearables and electronics, I had to face my fears—it’s always a bit daunting to tackle advanced tech topics when you're self-taught. 😅 But hey, that’s the fun of learning, right?

Here are some tutorials that came to the rescue:

1. Servo Motor Basics:

1. NeoPixels Tutorial:

1. Charlieplexing LEDs:

These resources gave me the confidence to move forward with my project and implement the requirements.

The Process 🎨✨

Preparing Tools and Libraries 🛠️

Gunjan and I teamed up to tackle the project together. We made sure to have all the materials and tools ready—trust me, preparation saves so much time!

We downloaded libraries for Servo Motors and NeoPixels:

1. Go to Arduino > Sketch > Include Libraries > Manage Libraries.
2. Search for Servo Motor by Michael and install it.
3. Repeat for Adafruit NeoPixel Library.

Servo Motor Adventures 🚀🛠️

Experiment 1: Manual Motor Rotation 🌀

Our first dive into servo motors had us working on a simple yet fascinating experiment: controlling the motor manually by inputting data. Imagine typing in numbers and watching the motor obey your commands—it felt like a tiny robot waiting for instructions! 🤖💡

We wrote a code that allowed us to directly control the motor’s rotation angle. By adjusting the values, we could make it move exactly where we wanted—such precision, much wow! ✨

Here is the Code :

#include <Servo.h>

Servo myservo; // Create servo object to control a servo

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  myservo.attach(9); // Attach the servo on pin 9 to the servo object
}

void loop() {
  int val; // Creating a variable val

  while (Serial.available() > 0) {
    val = Serial.parseInt();
    if (val != 0) {
      Serial.println(val);
      myservo.write(val);
    }
    delay(5);
  }
}

Experiment 2: Movement Mechanisms with Delays ⏱️🔄

Next, we decided to explore the motor’s movements further by adding delays between rotations. This experiment was all about observing the motor’s behavior with varying time intervals:

5 seconds (quick pause)

#include <Servo.h>

Servo myservo;  // Create servo object to control a servo

void setup() {
  myservo.attach(9);  // Attach the servo on pin 9 to the servo object
}

void loop() {
  // Rotate from 0 to 360 degrees
  for (int pos = 0; pos <= 360; pos += 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(5);  // Wait for the servo to reach the position
  }

  // Rotate back from 360 to 0 degrees
  for (int pos = 360; pos >= 0; pos -= 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(5);
  }
}

15 seconds (a thoughtful pause)

#include <Servo.h>

Servo myservo;  // Create servo object to control a servo

void setup() {
  myservo.attach(9);  // Attach the servo on pin 9 to the servo object
}

void loop() {
  // Rotate from 0 to 360 degrees
  for (int pos = 0; pos <= 360; pos += 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(5);  // Wait for the servo to reach the position
  }

  // Rotate back from 360 to 0 degrees
  for (int pos = 360; pos >= 0; pos -= 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(15);
  }
}

30 seconds (a dramatic pause 😄).

#include <Servo.h>

Servo myservo;  // Create servo object to control a servo

void setup() {
  myservo.attach(9);  // Attach the servo on pin 9 to the servo object
}

void loop() {
  // Rotate from 0 to 360 degrees
  for (int pos = 0; pos <= 360; pos += 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(5);  // Wait for the servo to reach the position
  }

  // Rotate back from 360 to 0 degrees
  for (int pos = 360; pos >= 0; pos -= 1) {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(30);
  }
}

The result? A fascinating showcase of how delays can completely change the motor’s pacing and rhythm. It’s like giving your motor a personality—fast and responsive, or slow and deliberate. 🕒✨

Fabrication Fun: Servo Motor Applications 🛠️🌟

Now that we had our servo motor experiments in place, we began researching its applications. From animating small textile pieces to creating dynamic wearables, the possibilities seemed endless! 🤩✨

Some exciting references we saw :

Moving on...

LED Charlie Plexing: A Journey of Lights 💡✨

Getting Started: A Bright Idea 🌟

After diving into some fascinating Charlieplexing tutorials, I couldn’t wait to try it myself! The concept of controlling multiple LEDs with just a few pins felt like magic. ✨ Armed with 12 LEDs, resistors, and jumper wires, I set up my breadboard alongside the trusty Arduino. 🛠️

To make things easier, I followed along with a TinkerCAD sketch—perfect for visualizing and tinkering before actual implementation. 🧩 Here’s the link if you want to give it a go yourself TinkerThis

The Setup: Let There Be Light 💡

Placing the LEDs, connecting the resistors, and wiring everything up was a fun process. But as always, no journey in electronics is without a hiccup! After powering up the circuit, only 6 of the 12 LEDs lit up. 😞 The rest remained stubbornly dark.

The Mystery of the Missing Lights 🔍

After some quick Googling, we hypothesized that the issue might be related to voltage limitations. With Charlieplexing, small errors in connections or insufficient voltage can sometimes cause LEDs to misbehave. While it was a bummer to see half the LEDs sit idle, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. ✨

Instead, we focused on the 6 LEDs that worked beautifully! The resulting light patterns were mesmerizing, and watching the LEDs dance reminded me of the twinkling lights we use to decorate homes during Diwali. 🪔🎇

Click Here to Download Code

NeoPixel Blues: A Light That Didn’t Shine 🌈

We also tried following a NeoPixel tutorial, hoping to light up those magical RGB LEDs. However, despite our best efforts, the NeoPixels stubbornly refused to glow. 😭 It was a bit of a letdown, but every challenge is an opportunity to learn, right? We’re looking forward to asking for help at the Fab Lab to troubleshoot what went wrong. 🤔🤞

Project Assembly 🛠️

After all the experiments and technical trials, it was time for the most exciting part—assembly! Armed with the Charlieplexing concept and a spark of creativity, I decided to implement this on a soft output. The goal? To make a glowing, wearable flower that truly comes alive. 🌺✨

Step 1: Returning to Circular Fashion 🌿

Inspired by my Circular Fashion Week project, I brought out my beautiful laser-cut felt lotus petals. 🌸 These petals, with their delicate yet structured design, were the perfect base for adding a playful light element. I quickly assembled them into a layered flower form, ready to be lit up.

Step 2: Testing the LEDs 💡🔋

Before diving into the connections, I decided to test each LED to ensure they were in working condition. This involved a simple but effective test—placing each LED on a coin battery to check if it lights up. Seeing the little bulbs glow with potential was so satisfying! ✨

Step 3: Connecting the Dots: Charlieplexing Magic 🛠️✨

Once I confirmed the LEDs were functional, it was time to integrate them into my lotus flower. I placed 5 LEDs onto the petals in a balanced layout, creating a visually pleasing arrangement. Using what I had learned from the Charlieplexing tutorial, I carefully connected the LEDs to replicate the light patterning concept.

Step 4: Lighting Up the Lotus 🌸💡

With the connections in place, I powered up the circuit—and wow, what a moment! Watching the light patterns dance across the petals brought the flower to life in such a magical way. The interplay of light and textile was mesmerizing, and the glowing lotus looked like something straight out of a dream. 🌟🌙

Step 5: Wearable Wonder ✨👗

To complete the project, I envisioned the lotus flower as a wearable piece. For now, it’s still connected to the Arduino, but I placed it on my shoulder to see how it would look as an accessory or embellishment. It was so cute and added a whimsical, futuristic vibe to the outfit. The possibilities for this prototype feel truly endless—whether as a standalone accessory, part of a larger outfit, or even as decor! 💫

Click Here to Download Code

Reflections 🪞

The Magic of Light and Fabric 🌸💡

Combining soft textiles with glowing LEDs was nothing short of magical! Watching my lotus bloom come to life with light patterns was a proud pinch-me moment. It’s amazing what happens when creativity meets technology. 🎨🤖

Challenges are Part of the Journey 🚧🔧

Not everything went perfectly (hello, NeoPixel mystery and voltage drama!), but those hiccups only made the wins feel sweeter. Each challenge taught me something new, and now I’m armed with even more knowledge for future experiments! 💪✨

I’m My Own Worst Critic 😅

I’ve realized I need to stress less and trust the process more. Yes, the technical parts are daunting, but every time I prove to myself that I can figure it out—even if it takes a few tutorials and a lot of Googling. 🌈

Room to Grow 🚀🌟

This project was a great start, but I’m excited to push it further. Figuring out how to make my wearable work independently of the Arduino will be my next challenge—and I can’t wait to tackle it!

The Joy of Creation 🥰

The biggest takeaway? I loved the process every experiment, every discovery, and even the setbacks. This week reminded me why I love making things, and that’s a win in itself. 🌟💖

Here’s to more glowing projects, endless creativity, and fewer freak-outs along the way! ✨🙌