Week 09 — Wearable Speakers¶
Project Description¶
We all encounter sound at a very early age.
Two paper cups connected by a string…
This simple toy is often one of our first experiences of realizing that sound can be transmitted through vibration.
This project does not aim to recreate that toy directly.
However, the intuitive understanding of how sound travels through a physical medium forms a conceptual reference in the background of this work.
The Wearable Speakers project explores sound production not through rigid, predefined speaker surfaces, but through a soft, flexible, and wearable textile system.
Conductive thread stitched onto fabric in a nested square pattern was designed to function as a coil.
Initially, a circular geometry was planned.
However, due to difficulties in achieving a clean circular form and concerns related to the first textile substrate, the design evolved into a square-based structure.
An audio signal from a 6-watt output amplifier was applied to the ends of the conductive thread.
When the signal was introduced, an alternating electric current passed through the stitched coil, generating a changing magnetic field around it.
A magnet placed beneath the fabric interacted with this magnetic field.
As the field fluctuated, it induced extremely small mechanical vibrations in both the conductive thread and the textile surface.
These vibrations displaced the surrounding air, producing an audible — though low-level — sound.
Because the sound output was subtle, a headphone microphone was used to capture the audio during video documentation.
During testing, it was observed that:
- reducing the total conductive path length
- decreasing the number of nested square turns
resulted in a noticeable increase in perceived sound output.
In some experiments, one amplifier output was held 1–2 millimeters away from the conductive coil without direct contact.
Despite this gap, sound was still produced, indicating that near-field magnetic interaction and weak coupling were sufficient to activate the system.
The resulting structure is not as efficient as a conventional loudspeaker.
However, the experiment demonstrates that sound production does not rely exclusively on rigid diaphragms or standardized industrial components.
Instead, sound can emerge through fabric, thread, and magnetic interaction.
Rather than presenting a finalized solution, this work approaches wearable sound production as an open-ended material investigation.
Inspiration and Material Exploration¶
The conceptual inspiration for this project stems from early, low-tech experiences of sound transmission,
where vibration — rather than amplification — is the primary mechanism.
These simple systems reveal that sound does not require complex structures to exist,
but only a medium capable of movement.
By working with conductive thread, fabric, and magnetic fields,
this project treats sound as a material behavior rather than a finished acoustic product.
The textile surface is not considered a passive carrier,
but an active element capable of vibration, response, and interaction.
The wearable speaker prototype is intentionally experimental,
prioritizing material exploration and process over acoustic performance.
Visual References & Process Images¶
Conductive thread stitched in a nested square pattern, functioning as a soft electromagnetic coil.
Detail view of stitched conductive pathways exploring alternatives to circular geometries.
Magnet placement beneath the textile surface enabling electromagnetic interaction.
Experimental setup combining fabric, conductive thread, magnet, and external amplifier.
Close-up of the wearable speaker prototype during sound testing.
Video Documentation — Test Recording (MP4)¶
MP4 preview may not play inside the documentation page (especially in incognito).
Use the direct link below:
- Test video (MP4): ../images/week9/test_video.mp4
Final Video Documentation (Vimeo)¶
Reflections¶
- Sound can emerge from soft, non-rigid surfaces
- Fabric and conductive thread can function as active sound-producing elements
- Magnetic interaction enables vibration without direct mechanical contact
- Wearable sound does not need to follow conventional speaker design logic
- Material experimentation opens alternative pathways for sound in textile systems