12.SKIN ELECTRONICS

RESEARCH AND iNSPIRATION

This week for Skin Electronics we delved into different ways to use electronics on the skin. we had a refresher on how to properly code using Arduino and had a brief introduction into skin sensors and "interactive tattoos"

i found some really cool but advanced versions of interactive tattoos being used in the medical field.

I got fixated on trying to make a pair of sunglasses that had some type of electronic aspect. i was reminded about my research during WEARABLES week where i found a company making glasses with specific LEDs that disrupt facial recognition.

so i started resarching things of that nature.

Two cool examples of different ways to integrate electronics into Glasses.

RGB LIGHT GLASSES

SMART GLASSES V2

I was reminded of a character from a video game that came out when i was a kid. a cyberpunk retro-futuristic graffiti and extreme sport game called JET SET RADIO FUTURE. One of the characters, BEAT, had these glasses that had a heart beat like aspect on his sunglasses.

TOOLS

- Bambu A1 Printer
- Fabri-Xiao Seeed studio RP2040
- Conductive copper tape
- Medical adhesive tape
- Kapton insulating tape
- thermochromic powder / paint
- Conductive thread

PROCESS AND WORKFLOW

TATTOO SENSORS

we made two different soft / tattoo sensors in class this week.

1. CAPACITIVE SENSOR

For the Capacitive sensor, there was a problem with using the FabriXiao so i had to use my instuctor Cit's flora. The FabriXiao did not recognize or know what to do with the capactive sensor library that is neccessary for the code to work.

It was really interesting playing around with this sensor and seeing how it interacts with objects and figuring out the right sensitivity. seeing that i could activate it with my knife and pen also led to some cool aspects of the sensor and what its applications could entail

CODE EXAMPLE - CAPACITIVE SENSOR

Use the three backticks to separate code.

#include <CapacitiveSensor.h>
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
CapacitiveSensor   sensor = CapacitiveSensor(9, 10) ;
#define PIN 8
#define NUMPIXELS 1
Adafruit_NeoPixel pixels(NUMPIXELS, PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
#define DELAYVAL 500


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pixels.begin();
  pixels.setBrightness(15);


}

void loop() {
  long measurement = sensor.capacitiveSensor(30);
  Serial.println(measurement);
  delay(10);                             // arbitrary delay to limit data to serial port 

if (measurement > 1000){
  pixels.clear();
  pixels.setPixelColor(0, pixels.Color(255, 110, 194));
  pixels.show();
}else{
  pixels.clear();
  pixels.setPixelColor(0, pixels.Color(15, 78, 45));
  pixels.show();
}

}

2. POTENTIOMETER SENSOR

This sensor does work with the FabriXiao as it does not require any extra libraries. However, as the fabriXiao has two 5v connections and no 3.3 volt the conditions and outcomes are different compared to an Adafruit Flora

CODE EXAMPLE - POTENTIOMETER SENSOR

#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
int Power = 11;
int neopixel = 12;
int NUM_PIXELS = 1;
Adafruit_NeoPixel pixels(NUM_PIXELS, neopixel, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

// Define potentiometer pin
#define POT_PIN A0

void setup() {
  // Initialize NeoPixel and potentiometer
  pinMode(Power, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(Power,HIGH);
  pixels.begin();
  pixels.setBrightness(50);  // Adjust brightness (0-255)
  pixels.show();             // Turn off NeoPixel initially
}

void loop() {
  // Read potentiometer value (0-1023)
  int potValue = analogRead(POT_PIN);

  // Map potentiometer value to a hue (0-255)
  int hue = map(potValue, 180, 1023, 0, 255);

  // Convert hue to RGB and set NeoPixel color
  uint32_t color = Wheel(hue);
  pixels.setPixelColor(0, color);
  pixels.show();

  delay(10);  // Small delay for smoother transitions
}

// Function to generate RGB color based on position in color wheel
uint32_t Wheel(byte WheelPos) {
  if (WheelPos < 85) {
    return pixels.Color(WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3, 0);
  } else if (WheelPos < 170) {
    WheelPos -= 85;
    return pixels.Color(255 - WheelPos * 3, 0, WheelPos * 3);
  } else {
    WheelPos -= 170;
    return pixels.Color(0, WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3);
  }
}

RESULTS

For my final iteration I worked on my sunglasses idea.

I made some prototypes and have some ideas for the future but i unfortunately was unable to fully realize my idea. In part due to having fewer days in the Lab this week and also due to getting pretty sick over the weekend.

The intial file for the sunglasses here: Kurt Cobain Sunglasses (no lenses) courtesty of: Fathermcfly

I will add my file for the modified version here (once finialized):

Below are some ideas / sketches / and iterations for what i might do in the future.

I did not want to finish this week empty handed, so I painted my sunglass prototype in thermochromic ink and wrapped them in conductive thread to make sunglasses that you can "etch" or change the color of the frames.