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We recently introduced the Magic Dock connector for iPod and iPhone which allows you to quickly and easily control your music player with just two soft, eTextile buttons.
We posted this Instructable on how to make a cute cat accessory using conductive yarn. Please see that I'ble for a discussion on our approach to practical eTextiles you would actually use everyday.
Continuing our theme of making truly useful & wearable (i.e. not prototype) interactive craft, we turn a fashionable baby bag into a functional remote control for your iPod & iPhone.
Now you can change tracks and volume by squeezing the handles. No more fumbling for the iPod to pause when you meet someone.
Oh, what's a baby bag? Mona said: "They're just big enough to use as an evening bag - you can fit your lipstick, cell phone, money, credit cards and maybe another thing or two. It can fit on your wrist for dancing, a night on the town, or weddings."
We hope this project inspires the eTextile community to continue to reflect on how we can seamlessly blend simple controls into our fashionable lifestyles without looking gaudy.
When the bag is done, the handle will have two soft buttons:
- Play/Pause: Single click
- Next/Previous Track: Double click
- Next/Previous Album: Triple click
- Volume Up/Down: Press and hold
It works with any iPod or iPhone with a dock connector.
The bag is from Mona Lucero Design Boutique, absolutely fab couture.
Magic dock connector, conductive fabrics, yarn & thread available at the Aniomagic store.
We posted this Instructable on how to make a cute cat accessory using conductive yarn. Please see that I'ble for a discussion on our approach to practical eTextiles you would actually use everyday.
Continuing our theme of making truly useful & wearable (i.e. not prototype) interactive craft, we turn a fashionable baby bag into a functional remote control for your iPod & iPhone.
Now you can change tracks and volume by squeezing the handles. No more fumbling for the iPod to pause when you meet someone.
Oh, what's a baby bag? Mona said: "They're just big enough to use as an evening bag - you can fit your lipstick, cell phone, money, credit cards and maybe another thing or two. It can fit on your wrist for dancing, a night on the town, or weddings."
We hope this project inspires the eTextile community to continue to reflect on how we can seamlessly blend simple controls into our fashionable lifestyles without looking gaudy.
When the bag is done, the handle will have two soft buttons:
- Play/Pause: Single click
- Next/Previous Track: Double click
- Next/Previous Album: Triple click
- Volume Up/Down: Press and hold
It works with any iPod or iPhone with a dock connector.
The bag is from Mona Lucero Design Boutique, absolutely fab couture.
Magic dock connector, conductive fabrics, yarn & thread available at the Aniomagic store.
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Signing UpStep 1Conductive fabric & preparation
Like in the previous I'ble, we use two types of conductive fabric for this project:
- Zelt conductive fabric; it's very conductive, and is used for the Forward/Volume UP actions.
- Velostat resistive sheet; not so conductive, and is used for the Back/Volume DOWN actions.
Hint to eTextilers: building a simple series circuit with these materials allow you to sense which of multiple buttons are pressed. Different combinations of high and low conductivity materials will yield measurable differences in resistance. However, instead of multiple connections, you only need two, which simplifies building and routing.
Sadly, you'll need to open up the handle for the project... we do put it together neatly again, so all is not lost :->
Open just the length you'll need.
Cut 4 pieces of conductive fabric into small 1-inch squares and fold them to fit into the creases in the handle. Since a folded piece has a little more bulk than a flat piece, you wouldn't need too much pressure to activate the buttons.
- Zelt conductive fabric; it's very conductive, and is used for the Forward/Volume UP actions.
- Velostat resistive sheet; not so conductive, and is used for the Back/Volume DOWN actions.
Hint to eTextilers: building a simple series circuit with these materials allow you to sense which of multiple buttons are pressed. Different combinations of high and low conductivity materials will yield measurable differences in resistance. However, instead of multiple connections, you only need two, which simplifies building and routing.
Sadly, you'll need to open up the handle for the project... we do put it together neatly again, so all is not lost :->
Open just the length you'll need.
Cut 4 pieces of conductive fabric into small 1-inch squares and fold them to fit into the creases in the handle. Since a folded piece has a little more bulk than a flat piece, you wouldn't need too much pressure to activate the buttons.
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