Luminescent
Raincoat
This project juxtaposes electricity and water in a raincoat that luminesces
in response to droplets of rain. Embroidered water sensors act as inputs
to a system with sealed electroluminescent panels that illuminate based
on patterns of rain.
The raincoat/cape and hood recall the retro-futuristic designs of Pierre
Cardin and Andre Courreges in the sixties while incorporating computational
behavior beyond an aesthetic notion of what technology looks like.
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The
current state of the jacket it shown at right. --
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Custom-silkscreened luminescent patches extend from the front placket,
and respond to water contact on raindrop sensors (one visible on the front
hood). The final lamp and sensor configuration is being designed; some
sketches are below.
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EL lamp silkscreened onto polyester taffeta (off), The copper foil is used to contact the silkscreened leads, which cannot be soldered to.
With charge, part of the silkscreened area phosphoresces blue-green. Dark areas are probably because of thickened or uneven ink application in one of the conductive layers.
Samples of embroidered rain sensors. The sensors are embroidered directly onto the body fabric and detect contact with water anywher on the ebroidered area.
- electroluminescent printing
- fabric types and treatments
- reactive phosphorescent garments
- textural light
- control mechanisms
- power