Bloom on fashioningtech.com

It is exciting to find our Bloom project on fashioningtech.com. Syuzi Pakhchyan does a great job in explaining our project.


Check out her blog post:
http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/bloom-the-emotional-side-of


fashioningtech.com is also a great site to find resources in creating soft circuits. I came across this website when working on my soft switch assignment.

Bloom: blooming relationship project

Bloom, worn by Carol our wearer.

The Bloom project has come to completion after 3 long weeks. Below is our documentation:

Presentation slides:
http://www.sfu.ca/~pml6/IAT320/bloom_slides_final.pdf

Video Documentation:
http://vimeo.com/22598682

ACM format Paper:
http://www.sfu.ca/~pml6/IAT320/Bloom_ANurturingEmbrace.pdf

From the circuit board to a soft circut

Because we are creating a wearable, there is not much space to store a whole breadboard on a wearable. Due to this issue, we needed to convert the breadboard into a soft textile circuit. This process involved some sketches by hand to turn a schematic into one that will have to be stitched on the fabric.

Technical circuit schematic

Draft Textile Circuit Diagram

The sketch aided us in mapping out the circuit layout on the shirt. However, when putting the sketch on the shirt, changes needed to be made because of the space constraints of the shirt.

Final Sewn Circuit

To transfer the sketch circuit onto the fabric, we first laid a piece of tracing paper on top of the fabric. Then, we drew out the circuit layout. After, we transferred this drawing by putting the drawing and fabric on top of a light table (which we used a window with sun shining through), and we traced the drawing with chalk onto the fabric. Lastly, we used conductive thread to sew the whole circuit.

Flower Paper Prototyping

The paper prototyping is a fun and easy process. We dedicated one day to paper prototyping, in order to find the form of the flower. This process involved us, cutting, gluing, folding, and layering paper petals onto the Miura Ori   paper form. Through this process, we learned that paper prototyping is more about doing and being hands-on than thinking about what to create, before making it. I believe the key is to just make something, it is a time of exploration. We can examine what aspects we like best after the process is done, so that we can produce many lovely variations to choose upon.

Paper Prototypes

Final Flower Petal form.

After paper prototyping, it became apparent that we wanted to stick with using paper as the material for the flower because it was light, versatile, and easy to work with. I remembered a specialty store that sold paper at Granville Island. I went to the store Paper-YA the next day and spent almost 2 hours there selecting paper for the flower. I was amazed by the different types of hand-craft paper there were with various textures and colours. I found a creme colour paper with natural organic fibers for the flower and a Japanese tissue paper (that was almost like fabric) for the leaves. 

Organic & Natural Paper Selection

Conceptual Research

As I was given the task of being the conceptual researcher, I wanted to delve deeper into the meaning of positive touches and what benefits they have on society. I also explored other interactive wearable projects that incorporated friendly touches as a main form of interaction.

Below are some links used for the project:

Richard Heslin (physchologist who studies the meaning of touch and nonverbal behaviors):
The Meanings of Touch:

Heslin Pleasantness Rating

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1975.tb00610.x/abstract

Closer Project by Alison Lewis (wearable that involves friendly touch interactions to bring the distant society closer):
http://a.parsons.edu/~lewisa/thesis/archives/cat_research.html
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2004/07/wearables-for-a-distant-societ.php
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2004/07/wearables-for-a-distant-societ.php
Blog:
http://blog.alisonlewis.com/?p=483
Interview:
http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2006/12/interview-with-4.php
Thesis Paper (Parsons School of Design):
http://a.parsons.edu/~lewisa/thesis/Writings/Alison_Thesis_vrs7.pdf

Memory Clothing (Different wearable projects that explore wearables recording touch interactions. These dresses explores touching in a "fun and play" manner):
http://www.xslabs.net/papers/cc05-berzowska.pdf

Impact of Positive Touches:

The Science of Touch (demonstrates meaning and implications that positive touching have on our well-being):
http://psychologyofwellbeing.com/201011/the-science-of-touch.html


Touch & Trust (Interesting Facts):
http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/kathryn-britton/2011011715181


After researching, we decided on the name of the project called Bloom. Yeieun came up with the name, and it  metaphorically represented a blooming flower, which also mean blooming relationships. We found out that positive touches can lead to a positive impact in making connections and bonding with other individuals. Therefore, helping to build meaningful relationships.

The Flower mechanism...

The biggest problem we encountered in sketch 2 was finding a mechanism to electronically open and close a flower. Greg suggested that we rethink the motion and aesthetics of the flower. During our research for sketch 2, we came across a Miura ori fold structure introduced by Diana Eng in one of her blog videos (http://fairytalefashion.org/episode.php?id=4). This was a fold structure that is inspired and found from nature, in how leaf folds were constructed and are called deployable structures. For the final project, i was determined to find the template for the fold structure. Luckily, the University of Cambridge posted a pdf of the fold template:
http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~sdg/dstruct/wrapping.html

Miura ori paper prototype on a servo motor with mounting device by Andrew.

[Week 11] Final Project

For the final project, it will be a continuation of sketch 2. In addition, we have two added members and our team consists of:  Andrew Chang, Carol Tu, Yeieun Jang, Alex Akopyan, and Priscilla Lee (me:)). In order to turn the sketch 2 project into the final project, we needed to reconsider, improve, and add upon the original idea.


Aspects of the project that will be improved and expanded upon from Sketch 2:
1. creating an aesthetically elegant and delicate flower that opens and closes fluidly
2. exploring materials that is pleasant to touch for both the wearer and individual touching
3. redesigning the style of the wearable to be more aesthetically pleasing
4. incorporating spores (lit up LEDs) that represent positive emotions, to communicate the
wearer’s comfort and happiness more effectively. The LEDs will emit a soft glow which

Concept Sketch by Yeieun

This includes adding spores on our wearable that lights up to show the spreading of positive energy from friendly gestures throughout the body.