5. E-textiles

WEEK ASSIGNMENT

- Build at least one digital and one analogue soft sensor, using different materials and techniques.
- Document the sensor project as well as the readings got using the AnalogRead of Arduino
- Integrate the two soft sensors into one or two textile swatches using hard soft connections
- Document the circuit and its schematic
- Document your swatches / samples
- Upload your arduino code as text
- Upload a small video of the swatches functioning
- Integrate the swatch into a project (extra credit)Check out the weekly assignment

SOFT TESTING TOOL

I created a tool to test the materials and sensor conductivity. This tool works both as a digital and analog soft sensor. I used sevarl different conductive materials to create the tool: Conductive thread, safety pins, LED, conductive fabric, 3V battery

Testing tool and digtial material test sample with various conductive fabrics, steel wool, and metal beads

testing tool and analog soft sensor made with denim, conductive fabric and velostat.

SOFT SENSOR PROJECT WITH ARDUINO UNO

Using aligator clips, Arduino Uno and the soft sensor button we did some coding and sensor reading through Arduino IDE AnalogRead

Setup for sensor test for AnalogInOutSerial.ino using Arduino IDE with Arduino UNO

DIGITAL SENSOR SWATCH

OFF and ON

Circuit diagram

ANALOG SENSOR SWATCH

Putting together the sensor swatch with 3 LED in parallel and using velostat as pressure sensor material.

Testing the sensor with the AnalogRead of Arduino

Circuit diagram

Code for the Arduiono UNO and analog sensor swatch

Use the three backticks to separate code.

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

Materials/Tools

• Carbon fiber
• Silver
• Copper
• Velostat - sensor material - looks like plastic
• Eeonix - sensor material?? - conductive fabric
• Aluminium
• Foam from electronic packaginh
• Tapes
• Fabric
• Thread
• Chain
• Clips
• Buttons
• Velcro
• Zipper
• Beads
• Steel wool
• Conductive paint (silver dust example)

Tools

• Multimeter
• Voltage
• Resistance
• Current
• Enhed - Ohm
• Continuity - Beep sounds
• Batteries
• Thongs
• Needles
• Scissors

Boards for coding - Fabrixiao - FR4 - Flex - Arduino - Uno

Links

• Class https://academany.fabcloud.io/fabricademy/site/classes/2025-26/week05/
• Vocabulary https://docs.google.com/document/d/1osgtFTCgXjhFC3cmpF9w9xE0Ee0Q8LHyyDrWYTL1UwA/view
• Course Website https://www.computationalcraft.io/
• Sensor Knitting https://www.liza-stark.com/projects/sensor-knitting.html
• Switches https://www.computationalcraft.io/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/switches-stitches_v1.pdf
• KABOKANT https://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?cat=24 - ALT info
• MATERIALS https://opencircuit.shop/product/electro-fashion-conductive-thread-45m
• KITRONIC
• PLUSEA
• OHVILLO
• LIQUED MIDI FABRIC CONTROLLERS
• Learning more https://bela.io/
• Software for layout Rodney Trusty https://www.digitalfiber.us/post/what-is-digital-fiber
• Zsk 3e smart solutions embroidery machines https://www.zsk.de/en/industries-and-applications/technical-embroidery/smart-textiles.php
• Arduino simulator https://www.tinkercad.com/circuits
• TinkerCAD Arduino tutorials https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxW5bBHPfdByrF_TANdThbw6VXuKRx9eL