Space eTextile

This piece is about seeing computing beyond the limited scope of the screen. This type of activity is a great hands on learning activity. There is nothing like the thrill of seeing that light come on for the first time. Or more importantly spending twice as much time unpicking the circuit as sewing it because you did not really understand how it worked in the first place. eTextiles (and littleBits) also open up opportunities for creativity and prototyping that have not been available perviously because it was just too hard. It is never about the technology but rather what you can do with it!

This is my first attempt using the Lilypad eTextiles. I created the space scene using several usb boards, a simple board, LEDs, TriColor LEDs and conductive thread.

The programming is in Arduino and was quite simple. Select the image to have a look at the video to sees the animation.

Yellow: Three TriColor LED linked to a Lilypad Simple board. The Left LED stays white, the middle LED changes red and Green and the Right LED changes ice blue to white. Note Tricolor LEDs link back to the positive not earth.

Orange: Simple circuit to light stars

Red: Seven LEDs linked to a Lilypad USB board. Using Arduino code to light and dim 7 LEDs to create a shooting star

Purple: The molten rock on the moon uses a Lilypad simple board and PWM to mimic partial brightness.

Blue: The Rocket propulsion is controlled by a Lilypad USB and Arduino code

Green: The rock on the moon use random switching. This uses a Lilypad USB board and there is no PWM on the tabs used.

Grey: Simple circuit to light stars

Collaborators

Project Lead

• Dr Kirsten Ellis

Funding

Monash University

Links

None

Publications

None