| ASSIGNMENTS | SUMMARY | DETAILS AND SAMPLE STUDENT WORK |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Soft Circuit | Construct an interactive circuit out of soft materials. | Details and sample student work |
| 2. “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, part 1 | Install the appropropriate AVR microcontroller toolkit your laptop. | Details |
| 3. “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, part 2 | Work in teams to create an artifact that includes a fabric PCB. | Details and sample student work |
| 4. Yarn | Make a yarn that consists of two or more different materials. | Details and sample student work |
| 5. Nonwoven | Make a piece of flexible nonwoven fabric at least 12"x12" with some noteworthy characteristic. | Details and sample student work |
| 6. Networked wearable | Work in teams, in collaboration with the Communicating with Mobile Technology class, to build a textile that talks to a mobile phone. | Details and sample student work |
| 7. Final project proposal | Short (5 minute) presentation for the class, plus a brief online description. | Details and sample student work |
| 8. Knit, weave, embroider or print | Knit, weave, embroider or print a novel textile. | Details and sample student work |
| 9. Final project | Ten-minute presentation and complete written documentation about the final project. | Details and sample student work |
Assignments and Final Project
| Next: Assignment 2: “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, Part 1 » |
Using the materials and tools introduced in the first three classes, construct an interactive circuit out of soft materials. Your circuit should contain at least one output (like an LED or motor) and one sensor. See the Related Resources page for helpful links.
Sample Student Work
These samples are presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 1: Soft Circuit | Next: Assignment 3: “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, Part 2 » |
Class Ses #6 will include an introduction to microcontroller programming – specifically using Amtel® AVR microcontrollers. To prepare for class, install the appropropriate AVR development environment on your laptop, and bring your laptop to class.
[There are no student work samples for this assignment.]
| « Previous: Assignment 2: “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, Part 1 | Next: Assignment 4: Yarn » |
For this assignment you will work in teams to create an artifact that includes a fabric PCB. The artifact should include an ATtiny13 microcontroller, at least two outputs and at least one digital (switch) input. A picture of the circuit that I made is below. You can use this circuit as a starting point, but you should not just turn in an identical copy. You should modify my circuit in some way and/or incorporate it into a larger project by, for example, sewing it into a garment.
An example fabric PCB circuit.
With your team you should create a webpage that documents your project. Your page should include pictures, including at least one close up of your PCB and one image that shows the entire project, and a paragraph about your experience. Also create a short video of your project in action; post the video online (Vimeo, YouTube, or your own site) and include a link to your video in your documentation page.
Sample Student Work
These samples are presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 3: “Hello World” Fabric PCBs, Part 2 | Next: Assignment 5: Nonwoven » |
For this assignment you will make a yarn that consists of two or more different materials. You should make at least 2 yards of yarn.
Create a page that documents your project. Your page should contain pictures, including one or more microscopic close-ups and one or more regular photos of the yarn. The USB microscope will be attached to the Mac computer in our lab. Write a paragraph or two that describes how your yarn was made and justifies your choice of materials.
Measure and report the following properties (if they are relevant for your yarn):
- diameter (micrometers)
- total length of yarn (meters or yards)
- ply
- fiber length (millimeters)
- twist direction
- twist (turns per inch)
- conductivity (ohms per centimeter or ohms per inch)
Bonus points for measuring any of the following properties and explaining how you did so:
- denier or tex
- yarn size
- tenacity
- elongation
- elastic recovery
- absorbency
Sample Student Work
These samples are presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 4: Yarn | Next: Assignment 6: Networked Wearable » |
Make a piece of flexible nonwoven fabric at least 12"x12" (~30cm x 30cm) with some noteworthy characteristic. (An unusual blend of materials, interesting structural characteristics, embedded circuitry, special electrical properties,…?)
Create a page that documents your project, with pictures and a paragraph or two that describes your nonwoven and discusses how it was made.
Sample Student Work
These samples are presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 5: Nonwoven | Next: Assignment 7: Final Project Proposal » |
For this assignment you will work in teams, in collaboration with the 21W.789 Communicating with Mobile Technology class, to build a textile that talks to a mobile phone. With your team you should create a webpage that documents your project. Your page should include pictures and a discussion of your experience. Also create a short video of your project in action; post the video online (Vimeo, YouTube, or your own site) and include a link to your video in your documentation page.
Assignment Resources
Arduino
Limor Fried’s excellent Arduino tutorial
Amarino: A Tool That Connects Arduino and Android
Amarino Web site - you will probably want to begin with the Getting Started page.
Make a Textile Arduino
An example textile Arduino circuit.
Here’s a diagram that shows how the ATMega168 pins are mapped to Arduino pins:
Mapping ATMega168 pins to Arduino pins. (Courtesy of Arduino.cc. Used with permission.)
Circuit drawing in Adobe Illustrator format (AI)
Code for ATmega168 microcontroller (arduinoBootloader)
Supplies
ATmega168
Switch
Header
0.1uF capacitor
Jumper wire for TX (yellow in the above circuit drawing)
LED
1K ohm resistor
Sample Student Work
Sample work is presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 6: Networked Wearable | Next: Assignment 8: Knit, Woven, Embroidery, or Print » |
For your final project, you should explore a specific set of materials, techniques, or applications in depth. You are very welcome (in fact encouraged) to work in groups. The project could take many different forms, including:
- A finished garment with unique functionality or material composition.
- A finished textile with unique functionality or material composition.
- A prototype for a new tool that could help others work with textiles and technology.
- A series of documented material or technique explorations.
The final project proposal will consist of a short (5 minute) formal presentation in class, plus a brief online description. Your presentation should include:
- A concise description of your project.
- Preliminary investigations of previous work in the area.
- If you are planning a project whose outcome is a specific artifact (ie: a garment or textile), sketches of the artifact.
- A time line.
Create a webpage for your proposal. It should contain a short description and a downloadable version of your presentation.
Sample Student Work
Sample work is presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 7: Final Project Proposal | Next: Assignment 9: Final Project » |
Knit, weave, embroider or print a novel textile. Create a page that documents your project and add your project link to this page. Your page should contain pictures and a paragraph or two that describes your project and discusses how it was made.
Sample Student Work
Sample work is presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
| « Previous: Assignment 8: Knit, Woven, Embroidery, or Print |
For more information on the scope of final projects, see Assigment 7: Final Project Proposal. The final project consists of two components, a presentation and written documentation.
Presentation
Project presentations will happen during class Ses #27. Each team will have approximately 10 minutes for their presentation. The core of the presentation should be a demonstration of your project in action. You should also include a short discussion of your concept, design, and construction process. A dress form, pin-up board, and tables will be available.
The presentations will be open to the public. I’ll invite the Media Lab community and all of our local guest speakers. Feel free to invite friends and colleagues. Light refreshments will be served.
Documentation
Create a Web page that documents your project. Your page should include a description of the project, pictures of the construction process and completed project, and a discussion of your experience. If appropriate, create a short video of your project in action. Also include design drawings, electrical schematics, and source code where appropriate, and any slides you included in your presentation.
Sample Student Work
Sample work is presented courtesy of the students and used with permission.
Course Info
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