How to make an Emoticon Jacket with LCD screen

Concept:

I would like to make a jacket that has a small LCD screen to create subtexts for interpersonal human interaction. The user would use a limited "keyboard" with force sensors and buttons under soft silicone keys to create computer textual subtitles to human interaction (textual emoticons, ie: :P). The dichotomy between personal interaction that occurs in physical space and that which occurs on a computer or in virtual space will be evident and reference IMing, online gaming, texting, email, and other forms of distanced interpersonal interaction. The loss of intonation and body language that occurs at the intersection of computers and textual communication is evident in today's culture.

In this application, the effort we put into replacing the nuances of personal communication with punctuation and textual cues in the virtual realm will help subtitle and enhance (or confuse) the conversation and interaction that occurs in the physical realm.  Force sensors will allow the wearer to react to the conversation in a natural way, the more tension, the more force applied, the more more intense the emoticon.  This also introduces a lack of control over the emoticon displayed and the perception of the emoticon in the context of the interaction.

Step 1 Supplies:

Materials:
LCD Screen from Adafruit with chip: $15.25
Hookup wire (at least 3 different colors can be helpful) solid 22 Gauge
electrical tape
Jacket you would like to modify
2 force/pressure sensors $6.95 each
Breadboard or protoboard $5.95 for breadboard
Lilypad Arduino $39.95 Pro Kit or $21.95 for the board only
FTDI adapter and mini USB cord (included in the Pro Kit)
3 AAA 1.5V batteries
medium and heavy weight fusible interfacing
solder
sticky hook and loop closure dots
4 resistors 10k (brown, black, orange, gold) $.25 each
1 Lilypad button
silicone keyboard cover
Fray Check
Extra jacket fabric or cotton twill

Tools:
Wire strippers
Needle-nose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Needle and Thread
Sewing Machine (optional)
Clothes Iron
Scissors
Soldering Iron
x-acto knife
fabric cutting board
tailor's pencil or other fabric marker

Comments

[D_mon]

i really like the jacket you used. any idea where it was from by any change? very interesting project too, from a social and philosophical standpoint.

[kstran07]

Thanks, I appreciate it! Actually I designed and sewed/constructed the jacket myself. Unfortunately that means you can't buy it anywhere. Thanks for checking out my instructable!

[Treknology]

I actually did this with an LCD clock back in the 80s.

A friend also made a similar one, but it was surrounded by flashing LEDs, and simply said "RATBAG". It was his way of protesting the Company's idea of name tagging everyone because management had no idea who did what, how or when.

[kstran07]

Very cool, I would love to see any images from your jackets you may have. It would be interesting to see an approach to a name tag jacket from the 80s.

[Treknology]

No photos, sorry. But both of them looked like standard pinned-on name tags with the necessary wires passing through a small hole with the battery inside the breast pocket.

[digitalcoleman]

This fantastic project was made as part of the Tangible Interaction course in Digital Media Studies at the University of Denver.