Skin Electronics 👩‍🎤⚡

Session Nutshell 🌰✨

Week 12 already?! Someone pinch me! 🤯 Time’s flying faster than a laser cutter on full throttle. 🚀 As we dove into everyone’s open-source hardware projects, my jaw was officially on the floor. 😮 Each creation was nothing short of awe-inspiring brilliance. 🌟💡

Oh, and guess what? I got to showcase my very own Infinity Loom! ♾️🧶 Cue the drumroll 🥁 because presenting my work-in-progress and a DIY video (which was a blast to shoot 🎥🤩) got me some seriously heartwarming feedback. ❤️✨ Talk about a proud creator moment!

Fast forward ⏩ to the Skin Electronics session, and WOW—what a treasure trove of innovation! 💡⚡ The projects were so cool that I’m still geeking out. 🤓 My ultimate fave? Kinisi

Electronic tattoos and makeup that’s literally electric? YES, PLEASE! ⚡💄 Check out a sneak peek below of what had my inner techie doing a happy dance. 🕺💃

Assignment Deep Dive 📝

This week at Fabri Academy was all about diving into the electrifying world of Skin Electronics – a hands-on, boundary-pushing adventure that lit up our creativity circuits and unlocked some next-level wearable wizardry! ⚡💡✨ Here’s what we set out to achieve:

Learning Outcomes

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

Design skills: the participant learnt to program a microcontroller, design circuit and schematic

Fabrication skills: the participant is able of integrating inputs and outputs in a microcontroller project

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

Final outcome: Is the assignment is assembled, functioning or tested

Originality: Has the design been thought through and elaborated?

Students Checklist ✅

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

2. Design a “skin-circuit”, exploring the replication of the examples bwlow or:

3. the Skin masquerade party project
4. the Twinkle Nails project
5. interactive tattoo

6. explore how to create a new skin electronics accessory.

7. Document the project and included all source files and all materials used

8. Upload your design files and source code

9. Make a video with your skin electronic working

10. Make a short performance/concept of your project functioning (extra credit)

FAQ

How is this different from wearables?

For skin electronics the circuit should be a wearable placed on the skin (mask, hair, tattoo, patch, glove, nails)

Do I need to use a microcontroller?

Yes, you should use a small microcontroller that can be hidden - such as ATtiny, gemma or other similar

Can it be connected to a power supply or computer? No, your wearables should be powered by battery.

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Project Inspiration 💡

Apart from the amazing examples I saw during the session, I couldn’t help but tumble down an inspiration rabbit hole 🐇✨—and found myself completely drawn to face, neck, and leg accessories. The idea of circuits doubling as ornamental designs? Mind = Blown. 🤯💎

Naturally, my thoughts wandered back to my cultural roots. 🌺💛 In India, women go all out during weddings, adorning themselves with layers of jewelry and elaborate makeup—headpieces, necklaces, bangles, anklets, waist chains, you name it. ✨👰

What if all that traditional/ Cultural glam got an electrifying upgrade? ⚡💍 Imagine blending cultural aesthetics with future-forward tech, creating looks that are minimalistic yet funky, understated yet undeniably statement-making.

So that’s my vision: as much as I dream of creating something super elaborate (cue the grand ideas 🎭✨), I knew I had to keep things realistic—timelines, limitations, and all that fun stuff. ⏳🙃 🖤✨

Process Understanding 🧠

This week, the process felt a lot simpler—thanks to all those E-textile and wearable tech sessions! 🧵✨ But hey, nothing worth doing comes without its challenges, right? 😅 Our biggest hurdles? 📦 Material availability and figuring out how to wield the soldering machine like pros. 🔧⚡

Adding to the fun: the labs were closed due to holidays. 🎉🔒 But did that stop us? Nope! 🚀 Gunjan and I put on our problem-solving caps 🧢 and worked smartly with what we had. After all, limitations are just opportunities in disguise. 💡✨

This was our last learning session before we deep-dive into our individual projects. 😭 So, of course, we had to make it memorable! (Cue the fuzzy emotions 🥹❤️…and then cue us snapping out of it. 🫠)

For our mini project, we decided to experiment with :

1. copper tape
2. batteries
3. LEDs

Because let’s face it, a little sparkle goes a long way. ✨🔋

🎨 The Vision:

I was vibing with face, neck and leg accessories 💡👩‍🎨.

Gunjan leaned towards hand adornments 🖐️💎.

Step 1? Doodle it out! 🖍️✏️ We sketched out a ton of ideas to map what we wanted to create. 🎨 Once things started to make sense (read: fewer stick figures and more light bulb moments 💡), we jumped into prototyping.

🛠️ Prototyping Phase:

We started measuring for fit—face, hands, neck, legs (you name it)—even though we knew some ideas might be tricky to execute with our limited tools. But hey, brainstorming is free, and dreaming big is mandatory. 💭🚀

Here’s a peek at some of my sketches that brought the vision to life: 🖼️👇 Time to transform them into reality—one glowing detail at a time! ⚡✨

The Process 🎨✨

🚀 After seeing how our sketches came to life, Gunjan and I were pumped up to dive into the main process! 🎉 (Imagine us high-fiving in slow motion 🎬👊).

Here’s how we brought the sparkle to life step-by-step:

✂️ Step 1: Measurements & Base Prep

First things first, we measured everything—neck, legs, hands—you name it! 📏✨ Armed with a plan, we grabbed some thicker art paper (because flimsy won’t cut it for fab creations like ours 💪🎨) and cut out the shapes we needed. Once we had our base, it was time to roll out the real magic: copper tape and cover up those shapes. ⚡✨

💡 Step 2: LED Tweaking

Now for the fun part—LEDs! 😍 We trimmed them down so we could fit more into each row. The trickiest part? Keeping track of the positive (+) and negative (-) legs. 😵‍💫 Enter my hero: a trusty Posca marker! ✍️ We coated the longer leg (positive) so we wouldn’t confuse them during assembly. No room for a short circuit in this masterpiece, thank you very much. 🙅‍♀️⚡

🛠️ Step 3: Securing the LEDs

Placing the LEDs on the copper strip felt like laying jewels onto a crown. 👑✨ Once they were all perfectly positioned, we sandwiched them in place with another layer of copper tape. 🧠 Pro tip: Do this carefully, or you’ll be playing “Where’s my LED?” for hours. 😅

🔌 Step 4: Making Power Flow

Now, here’s the nerdy-but-essential part: cutting out a tiny piece below each LED. 🪚⚙️ This little tweak ensures the power flows smoothly to light up the LEDs. Skipping this step? Say goodbye to your sparkly glow and hello to sad, lifeless LEDs. 🪫😭 (Trust me, I tested it. Lesson learned.)

I also taped washi tape at the bottom of my strips to make them a bit more sturdy

🤩 The Fit Check:

With everything in place, I wrapped it around my neck and leg for a quick preview. 💃✨ Let me tell you, it was giving futuristic meets fabulous. 🚀💎 Gunjan and I were practically squealing with excitement (okay, mostly me 😜). Now, all that was left was to power it up and watch the magic happen!

✨ Stay tuned for the big reveal, because this wearable glow-up is just getting started! 🔥⚡

Project Assembly 🛠️

✨ Now for the fun part—let’s get those LEDs glowing! 💡🎉

Since we had 3 LEDs in a row (and sometimes 6, because go big or go home, right? 😜), we needed some serious power. Enter: the 9V batteries 🔋⚡—1 or 2 depending on how much glow we wanted.

Attaching the circuits to the battery source? A total mission impossible moment. 🕶️🎬 Hiding those bulky batteries was no less than performing a medical procedure—complete with band-aids and tape surgery. 🩹🎭 But hey, sometimes creativity looks a little chaotic, and we were here for it. 💪✨

🌟 The Rockstar Neck Circuit:

This piece? An absolute showstopper. 😎 It works as a choker around the neck—perfect for fun vibes, night parties, or your next silent disco. 🎧💃 Speaking of silent discos, you know those lit-up headphones? With the right skills and tech, this choker could totally sync with the music you’re grooving to. 🎶✨ Imagine being the person with accessories that pulse to the beat of your playlist. Instant headliner status. 🔥⚡

👣 The Anklet Circuit (aka Paayal 2.0):

In Indian culture, we call this paayal or jhanjhar—classic anklets that jingle as you walk. 🌺✨ Our modern, futuristic spin? A lit-up version that doesn’t just make sound but creates a visual spectacle. 🌟 Perfect for nocturnal events or as a statement piece for dancers. 💃🌌 Imagine a performer lighting up the stage with every move, blending traditional rhythm with tech-powered glow. 🔥 In classical Indian dances, big, thick anklets create rhythm through sound—our anklet reimagines that tradition with a futuristic twist. ⚡✨

And let’s not forget Gunjan's incredible exploration of hand-based circuits! 🖐️✨ Her designs were just as exciting, proving that glowing wearables can light up every part of you—literally. 💡✨

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Step 1: Back to the Drawing Board 🎨💡

Realizing a microcontroller was missing from the first attempt, it was time to regroup and make it happen.

Step 2: Building the Base 🛠️📏

With the help of Akhilesh, our fab lab guide, a sketch of the circuit was created—a blueprint for our exciting new project. The base for the accessory was crafted using blue chart paper. It was sturdy, stylish, and ready to host our circuit masterpiece. Think of it as the canvas for our electronic art. 💙✨

Step 3: Testing the LEDs 💡✅

Before jumping into assembly, the LEDs were tested to make sure they were all working perfectly. We marked the positive side , and sinnped the extra length of positive and negative wires to make them fit snugly onto the accessory. It was like giving the LEDs a custom-tailored suit! ✂️

Step 4: Laying the Circuit Path 🌟🔗

Copper tape was used to create the circuit’s design. The LEDs were placed on top to visualize the layout. The shiny copper added a futuristic touch—design meets function in the coolest way! 🪙✨

Step 5: Connecting the Xiao Microcontroller 🤖🛠️

Pins on the Xiao microcontroller and the ground pin were marked. A bit of soldering magic connected the copper tape to the microcontroller using wires. It started feeling like real tech in the making! 🔌💥

Setting the Stage Soldering felt a little overwhelming and thank god for our lab guide to help us through this. All those buttons, temperatures, and tools! But once we got a walk through, it became like second nature. The soldering iron was set to 410°C, which is just the right temperature for most tasks. The key is to keep the tip clean—it’s like having a sharp pencil for drawing; everything works better. A quick wipe on a damp sponge, and you’re good to go.

Prepping the Materials

This part is like setting up your art supplies before you start painting.The component we are soldering in this case, is a microcontroller board Xiao Solder wire, flux & tweezers to be very precise

Positioning Like a Pro

Our guide suggested to use tweezers to hold wires or components in place, making sure everything is aligned perfectly. There’s something oddly satisfying about getting everything positioned just right before you solder. It’s like setting the stage for a perfect performance.

The Actual Soldering

Here’s where the magic happens. We started by placing the soldering iron tip at the joint where the wire or component meets the copper strip. Once it’s heated, we bring in the solder wire, and it melts into place like a tiny bead of silver. Watching the solder flow and form a shiny, smooth connection is incredibly satisfying—it’s like watching paint dry but in a good way!

I’ve learned not to rush this step. Patience is key. Too little heat, and the solder doesn’t flow properly. Too much heat, and you risk damaging the component or the copper trace. It’s all about finding that sweet spot.

Pro Tip The joint should be smooth and shiny—like a tiny silver dome. If it looks dull or cracked, you know you need to rework it & make sure to clean the soldering iron tip

Looking Back With soldering, I feel a little more confident, a little more capable—and honestly, a little cooler, too.

Step 6: Coding Time 👨‍💻✨

Our lab guide lent his computer, complete with all the necessary libraries. The coding process felt like a digital spell being cast to bring the accessory to life. 🧙‍♂️💻

Code

// Arduino code for controlling 3 LEDs on the Seeed Studio RP2040 board

// Define GPIO pins for the LEDs

const int ledPins[] = {D2, D3, D4}; // Replace these with the GPIO pins you're using

const int numLeds = sizeof(ledPins) / sizeof(ledPins[0]);

// Function to turn off all LEDs void allOff() { for (int i = 0; i < numLeds; i++) { digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW); } } // Function to blink LEDs in sequence (1, 2, 3) void blinkInSequence(int delayMs) { for (int i = 0; i < numLeds; i++) { digitalWrite(ledPins[i], HIGH); // Turn on the current LED delay(delayMs);
// Wait for the delay digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW); // Turn off the current LED } } // Function to turn all LEDs on void allOn(int delayMs) { for (int i = 0; i < numLeds; i++) { digitalWrite(ledPins[i], HIGH); } delay(delayMs); } // Function to turn off LEDs in reverse sequence (3, 2, 1) void offInReverseSequence(int delayMs) { for (int i = numLeds - 1; i >= 0; i--) { digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW); // Turn off the current LED delay(delayMs); // Wait for the delay } } void setup() { // Initialize all LED pins as output for (int i = 0; i < numLeds; i++) { pinMode(ledPins[i], OUTPUT);digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW); // Ensure all LEDs are off initially } } void loop() { blinkInSequence(300); // Blink LEDs in sequence with a 300ms delay allOn(1000);
// Turn all LEDs on for 1 second offInReverseSequence(300); // Turn off LEDs in reverse sequence with a 300ms delay delay(500); // Pause before the next cycle }

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Step 7: Blink, Blink! 💡🎉

When the circuit was tested, the LEDs blinked! Joy levels were sky-high—until it was noticed that not all the LEDs were blinking. Cue detective mode! 🕵️‍♀️🔦

Step 8: Problem-Solving Power Issues ⚡💡

Turns out, the power supply wasn’t enough for all the LEDs. Three LEDs were removed (but their copper tape stayed as part of the design). A win-win: efficiency and aesthetics! 🎨💪

Step 9: Battery Magic 🔋✨ Two coin batteries were sealed together with copper strips, creating a functional and stylish button-like power source. It was small, sleek, and super effective! ⚡🪙

Step 10: Lights, Action, Wear It! 💡✨👕

With the blinking lights working beautifully, the accessory was trimmed down, removing extra chart paper. When placed on the skin, it looked futuristic and fun—a perfect wearable tech piece! 🎉✨

Reflections 🪞

Embracing Constraints Sparks Creativity

Limited materials? Closed labs? No problem! 🛠️⚡ These challenges turned out to be the ultimate catalysts for innovative thinking. Working smart with what we had taught us that sometimes, creativity truly thrives within constraints. 💡✨ It’s all about adapting, improvising, and making magic happen despite the odds.

Cultural Roots Can Inspire Future Tech

From paayals to bridal jewelry, Indian traditions served as the perfect foundation for imagining futuristic wearable designs. 🌺💎 Combining age-old aesthetics with cutting-edge technology doesn’t just celebrate heritage—it transforms it into something timeless and innovative. ⚡🌌 The past and the future can coexist beautifully when approached with intention.

Collaboration Makes Everything Better Working with Gunjan in our final learning session was more than just teamwork—it was a chance to create memories and learn from each other’s unique perspectives. 👫✨ Reflecting on this collaboration, I realized how much richer the journey becomes when shared with others, especially when our ideas and skills align in surprising ways. 🤝💡

Small Details Make Big Impacts

Whether it was marking LED legs with a Posca marker, carefully cutting copper tape, or hiding batteries like pros, the smallest steps often made the biggest difference. 🎨✂️ These details taught us the importance of precision, patience, and never underestimating the value of getting the basics right. 💪✨

The Future is in Hybrid Innovation

Silent disco chokers, glowing paayals, and light-up accessories are just the beginning of blending tradition with modern tech. 🎧💎 Reflecting on these creations, it’s clear that wearable technology isn’t just about function—it’s about storytelling, self-expression, and pushing boundaries in design. The possibilities are endless when we bring art, culture, and technology together. 🌟🚀

Soldering Through

Learning the Xiao microcontroller and soldering for skin electronics was a fascinating journey of precision and creativity. Soldering taught me the importance of clean connections, while the microcontroller's compact design opened up exciting possibilities for wearable technology

Special Mentions 🌟

A big big thank you to Akhilesh for being an amazing guide and help us understand with soldering & the micro controller & my lovely students who helped with documenting and posing with the skin electronic accessory !