Hands on with Electronic textiles (E-

textiles) – Promoting technology through craft and design

Novel wearable technologies are changingthe way we live – not only supplying us withthe desired information in an instant butalso in monitoring health, fitness andlifestyle. While smartwatches and similardevices are dominating the “Wearables”trend, smart garments with textile basedelectronic systems have the capability toenhance the functionality of our clothing.This creates a new interface to interact withour own body and its surroundingenvironment.

Electronic textiles means that theelectronics element should be inherent tothe fabric or garment. This means can bedone at various stages of garmentdevelopment, from fibre right through tofinishing. Conductive threads and sewablecomponents are becoming increasinglypopular for DIY enthusiasts, artists andhobbyists to create their own e-textile andsmart garment designs. By designing suchkits in a fashion suitable to various ages e-textiles could be used to promote ScienceTechnology, Engineering and Mathssubjects throughout the educational pathfrom pre-school to 3rd level.

Shirley Coyle, Aoibheann Bird, Dermot Diamond Dublin City University

As the development of electronic textilesinvolves multidisciplinary skills, studentscan learn about properties of materials,textile technology, principles of simpleelectric circuits, sensors, computerprogramming, in addition to designprinciples in integrating it all together.There is currently little cross-over in theteaching of these disciplines. The aim ofthis work is to promote cross-disciplinarylearning between craft and design andtechnology, starting at an early stage in theeducation process to promote 21st centurythinking where creativity and problemsolving skills are needed hand in hand.

It is well established that practical exercisesenhance the learning experience[1],therefore designing e-textile kits andtutorials of varying levels of expertise couldbe used to provide hands on exploration ofnew materials to promote lateral thinkingacross all age ranges within the educationalcurriculum[2, 3].

• 1.Millar, R., The role of practical work in the teaching and learning of science.

Paper prepared for the Committee: High School Science Laboratories: Role and

Vision, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC 2004.

• 2.Buechley, L., M. Eisenberg, and N. Elumeze.(2007) Towards a Curriculum

for Electronic Textiles in the High School Classroom. . In: Proc. Proceedings of

the Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

(ITiCSE), . 2007. Dundee, Scotland.

• 3.Peppler, K. (2013) STEAM-Powered Computing Education: Using E-

Textiles to Integrate the Arts and STEM . . IEEE Computer. September

2013:38–43.

This project has been funded by Science Foundation Ireland

Some of the work at Insight’s Inspirefest Workshop “Sew and Glow” in June 2015

(Left)Simple sewable circuit with LED, conductive thread and battery holder(Right) Sewable microcontroller, Lilypad Aduino for more complex garments including sensing elements

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