In today’s world, most wearable technologies come in the form of advanced electronic devices like smartphones that monitor and track movements and activity levels to record health data or provide assistance.
But, a London-based fashion pioneer has other plans.
CuteCircuit has created the SoundShirt that incorporates haptic technology into wearable clothing that allows those who are deaf to feel the music vibrations on their skin.
CuteCircuit has already put together advanced technology designs like the Hug Shirt (the first haptic top the world has ever seen) and the Galaxy Dress (illuminated wearable display) that has attracted high-profile shoppers such as U2 and Katy Perry. Their designs combined with Haute Couture create a brilliant meshwork of state-of-the-art fashion with science fiction.
With 16 haptic-sensors and 30 micro-actuators embedded into the fabric, the SoundShirt is able to relay sounds played in real time that translates into a series of sensations for those wearing the garment. What this means is no matter what sound is playing, each sound element will provide a different response to the fabric itself.
“In this way the violins can be felt on the arms and the drums on the back creating a fully immersive feeling for a deaf audience member,” explains CuteCircuit’s founder Francesca Rosella. “Essentially the entire composition comes to life as a language composed of a series of haptic (touch-like) sensations across the torso of the person wearing the shirt,” she added.
The SoundShirt creates a path for those who are deaf to experience music by being able to feel the music. Hermon and Heroda Berhane, twin-sisters who lost their hearing as children, recently modeled the SoundShirt and stated that “It’s almost like feeling the depth of the music. It just feels as though we can move along with it.”
During the development, Francesa Rosella wanted the experience to be a comfortable one for those wearing the garment and use specific textiles that are both smart and stretchy.
According to AZOSensors, “The striking futuristic design of the SoundShirt fuses high-resolution digital fabric and is based on the interrelating modulations of sound waves and vibrations as well as representing the network of data and electronics embedded into the textile.”
Although the wearable fashion and smart clothes market is still building, tech-companies like Google and even NASA have expressed collaboration interest with fashion designers.
CuteCircut created a package for orchestras and museums that come equipped with Mac or PC software, mics, Q antenna, and an audio convertor – this packages starts at £9500. The SoundShirt itself is available to consumers for the price of £3000 (GBP).
