You know the LilyPad, don’t you. It’s a board and a series of electronics especially designed for wearable items. How is it different to (other) Arduinos? Well: it’s thinner, nicely coloured, round and a very simple design. It doesn’t have USB though, so you have to plug it to your computer with something else. Otherwise it has “everything”.
If you make the decision to start and try things with e-textiles, e-jewelleries or other such things – first start thinking out of the electronics parts box. What all could you use to make your electricity to run, or what could you use for making it stop? You have plenty of conductive material at home, even if you are not an electronics enthusiastic yet: aluminum foil, metal beads or metal rings perhaps. You can use them as jumpers and switches. I, myself have started this journey just very recently but am kind of excited. Let’s see if I can get to anywhere.
If you haven’t yet done it, you should check out this LilyPad tutorial by the designer of LilyPad, Leah Buechley. Let Leah show you how to set up or prototype with LilyPad. When you understand what you are doing, go and see the great building ideas and create your own designs. Here is a lovely turn signal blinking jacket.
… Items for e-textiles? See this tutorial from Lynne Brunning (in YouTube).
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