Wearable tech for lovers

Despina Papadopoulos's projects are made for romantic geeks.

Let's start with her Love Jackets:
Once a pair of love jackets wearers meet, in at least 10 feet distance, the two emit a sound akin to crickets mating, and a pattern of LEDs blinks. Each jacket responds only to its unique pair.

The technology combines an infra-red receiver and transmitter, a PIC chip (programmable interrupt controller) that controls the LEDs and speaker output and sends out the “bits” of code that allows the pairs to find each other. The components are all surface mount which means that the technology is as transparent as possible. Instead of wires, the components are attached to the circuit board via conductive fabric “conduits.”

While the LoveJackets worked on a simple chance encounter, the HugJackets demand a deliberate embrace to activate a pattern of LEDs and a “bombastic” sound.

An quilted pattern made of conductive fabric is sewn on the front of each jacket. When two HugJacket wearers embrace, their jackets literally plug into each other’s battery source and translate the hug into an explosion of light and sound.

Despina Papadopoulos also imagined the courtly bags , an accessory enveloping the wearer in a storm of light and staccato electronic chirps when in proximity to another bag.

Via Personal Debris.