Final Project

Our final project is an exploration of the reactions of interactions between people when they come into contact using bare skin.

The project is a shirt that is made of two materials, vinyl and a gauze-like material, with several sets of LEDs running up the arm and around the shoulder. These LEDs react depending on two sensors, which require skin contact to work. The sensors are located on the hand and on the shoulder of the individual. The idea was to have the suit react to skin contact. We also wanted it to react differently to different kinds of contact between individuals.

The first way that the suit reacts is when the hand is touched by bare skin. Drawing inspiration from people's own reactions to touching skin with their hands, we wanted there to be a quick light up of all the LEDs on the arm all the way up to the neck. The LEDs would beat quickly from that point then slow to a steady beat as the contact is held. The red LEDs around the face would light up as well to simulate the somewhat involuntary act of blushing that can occur when skin contact is made and even more when it is maintained.

The second form of interaction involves a touch sensor on the shoulder. When this touch sensor is pressed once, such as in a friendly pat on the shoulder, the lights on the arm and around the neck light up and pulse a couple of times. This is to simulate the quick rush of excitement the wearer may feel when contact is made, though it's not the same as when the hand is touched, which activates the blushing mechanism. Shortly after contact ceases, the lights will slowly fade down the arm.

The third form is reserved for discomfort. Again, it involves the touch sensor in the shoulder and the LEDs. When the touch sensor is activated repeatedly over the period of three seconds, it starts only the blue LEDs around the face and neck. These LEDs shine the blue light onto the face resulting in the wearer looking uncomfortable in the blue light. This would communicate to the person touching or jostling them that they don't like being bumped so much. The light around the face would fade slowly after the jostling has stopped.

Our process in creating this project involved many prototypes. Initially we built the outer layer, which would, in the final project, be made of vinyl, in both paper then in a rougher brown pleather in order to get the best possible fit. We wanted it to be fitted because we wanted the project to look as wearable and "real" as possible. For our user testing later, we would want the project to be convincing as clothing as to not distract the other participants

with any unfinished parts.

The under-layers went through iterations as well as we tested a variety of different ways to diffuse and reflect the light from the LEDs. We tried such things as reflective sequins, sewing the LEDs sideways and upside down before finally deciding the create a silver layer of translucent fabric over the entire arm which also helped to hide the conductive threading and protect the lines from short-circuiting.

We also worked on several different patterns of lighting up the LEDs during our development of the arm and neck parts.