Converting oxygen into carbon dioxide: felting

Did you ever think fashion and technology would be two words you used in the same sentence? Well if your like me the idea of your clothes making a noise is a pretty paradox concept read on. It is possible and it is happening! I now have had a hands on approach at combining the two.

Courtesy of Platform4 and talented individuals known as Edit Viser along with her co-project-partner Christian Skjødt, I was lucky enough to participate in a Soft Circuit Workshop which the duo held in October 2012 at Platform 4.

What are soft circuits? Basically electronic circuit boards that run through textiles. The first day started with us preparing a circuit board which looked a bit like this :

Image Edit Vizer & Christian Skjødt
Schematic for the Mini Synth

The workshop lasted 2 days and we learnt a variety of new skills; such as an introduction into basic circuiting, what type of conductive materials there are out there to use, sewing, felting and this equaled to us making a noisey squeeky 'musical interface.'

I soon learn't that I was the only participant that did not study Art & Technology at Aalborg University, and in comparison to others I was totally clueless! And my sewing skills were beyond questionable. Perhaps my favourite part of this was when I didn't know even what a Breadboard was. But this didn't matter in the slightest and the complicated stuff that looked evil at the beginning soon became bearable. I quickly learn't that this so called breadboard was the white rectangle thing you stuck components and wires in and just hoped you wouldn't blow an LED or burst a resistor. But, I quite liked the circuit board challenge, very much like a 3D puzzle.

Shove that there, stick this in there...basic circuiting. The sound changed depending on what type of resistor we were using. So it was all about trying, testing and so forth. We created pressure sensors, which to be honest were tricky little fuckers. They consisted of felt, some black conductive material and plastic foam, which acted to break the circuit. When the pressure sensor is squashed then the conductive material touches, completing the circuit. I also got to experiment with conductive paint, and I created a different pressure sensor which was connected the circuit when you bent it.

So basically I learnt how to created noise. Below is a random video that I put together from bits and bobs on my phone. It was great fun to 'jam' with other peoples circuit boards when we finished the workshop. Below is a bunch of pictures, some links to useful websites if soft circuits tickle your fancy and you want to know more. You can see more pictures on Platform 4's website.