Physical Computing 2 / Wearables

This class covers Physical Computing/Wearables. You will learn how to do some cool stuff like:

Advanced design techniques: paper engineering, sewing circuits, and diy sensor craft
Conductive materials and their uses and properties
Advanced sensor usage: motion, sound, light, temperature, and capacitance
Embedable microprocessors: using the Adafruit Circuit Playground to create interactive garments and artworks

Explore the Syllabus Map

Slides

Physical Computing 2 / Wearables overview

Resources

Tools and Materials You Might Want To Experiment With

1. Paper related

paper (or appropriate substrate for the workshop)
scissors
X-Acto knife
small tip brushes
ruler
tape (single, double sided, and/or glue dots)
hot glue
wire clippers
wire snips
tweezers
woodless graphite pencil

2. Electronics

A variety of LEDs of your choosing. Keep aesthetics in mind and default to diffused! 360° LEDs + 5050 SMD LEDs + 5MM in bulk I usually get one of the big kits from Evil Mad Scientist.
220 Ohm Resistors (red, red, brown)
10 K Ohm Resistors (black, brown, orange)
3V Lithium Batteries
Small Neodynmium Magnets (you can get these from AI Friedman, the Container Store (look in the office section), or online)
Alligator clips
solder
Copper Tape (1/4″ width)
Bare conductive paint pen or container Also available at Radioshack or Adafruit
Coin cell battery holders (at least 3)

Breadboard
Arduino Uno
Small Recording Module

3. Fabric

A basic sewing kit including needles, thread, seam ripper, etc.

Conductive Ink

CuPro-Cote conductive ink at EMF
Silver conductive ink at Conductive Compounds
Bare conductive ink for the body at Bare Conductive

Resistive Ink

Y-Shield resistive ink at EMF
Liquid Graphite resistive ink at Guerra

Thermochromic Ink

Thermocromic water based inks at Matsui
Thermocromic plastisol inks at Ebay
Thermocromic inks Kits at Ebay

EL Ink

Electroluminescent ink and other EL display materials at Gwent Electronic Materials

Other Inks + Pigments

Pigments and unique paints at Guerra
Water based silk screen kits at Victory Factory

Conductive Textiles

Conductive Fabric for circuits at EMF, Sparkfu n and Silverell
Conductive Thread for sewing machine at Sparkfun
Conductive Thread for hand sewing at Sparkfun
Resistive Thread (light gray) at EMF
Velostat by 3M at EMF

Conductive Tape + Adhesive

3M™ Copper Conductive Tape at Tedpella

Documentation Sites

For tutorials and inspiration. Basically black holes of internet click throughs.
Margarita Benitez (Truly exhaustive)
How To Get What You Want (You should explore this often)
Kit of No Parts
3lectromode. Avant-garde crafting and consulting in fashionable technologies (This is fairly new, and it is fantastic.)
High Low Tech Group @ MIT
Open Materials
ITP’s Physical Computing Page
Their sensor workshop site is also fantastic.
Soft Circuit Saturdays

People

Influential People to Google.
Leah Buechley
Catarina Mota
Adrian Freed
Hannah Perner-Wilson
Jie Qi
Kate Hartman
Anna Valgårda
Marcelo Coehlo
Jamie Zigelbaum
Lara Grant
Sarah Grant
Kaho Abe
Becky Stern
Liza Stark