Making woven e-textile sensors for Polyphonic Playground, with Fashion Space Gallery and Studio PSK

Polyphonic Playground in Ventura Lambrate, Milan, Italy. Photo credit: Carlos Jiménez

Weft Lab was approached by Fashion SpaceGallery (London College of Fashion) for some e-textile work of the second iteration of a commissioned project with Studio PSK, titled the ‘Polyphonic Playground’. This project was a site specific interactive music/ sound installation, to enable adults to rediscover the experience of play, similar to the memories evoked from the joy of childhood playground activities. The project enabled a collaboration between design, music and textiles for an immersive interactive experience. 

The Polyphonic Playground was first debuted in Assemble Miami 2014, and was a huge success. The second iteration of the project was for Ventura Lambrate, Milan in April 2015, where this version was adapted with integrated woven e-textiles made by Weft Lab (Dr Priti Veja). Working closely with Studio PSK and Fashion Space Gallery, two integrated hand woven e-textile sensors were developed. The sensors were positioned onto the outer side panels of the interactive swings, enabling musical outputs when activated by participants touching the sensor. 

The project is making a third appearance during the London Design Festival 2015, 23^rd -27^th September, at LCF Mare Street with a series of LAB events – more information can be found here.

Woven e-textile sensor being woven on the automated hand loom

The process of making the woven e-textile sensors were mapped to specific designs agreed with Studio PSK and Fashion Space Gallery. The process involved developing a specific warp design to enable interwoven connections of conductive yarns during the woven process. 

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Integrated woven electronic textiles (e-textiles) research via design led processes

Woven electronic textile by Priti Veja © 2015

Weft Lab is an outcome of a PhD research project by Dr Priti Veja, developed at Brunel University London, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences (EPSRC supported). The research was published in March 2015, with thesis title “An investigation of integrated woven electronic textiles (e-textiles) via design led processes”.

The research focused on woven e-textiles through design led and empirical investigations, combining electronics into constructed woven structures. Priti’s research applied woven methods to make integrated soft circuits, using her expert woven knowledge and design led processes. Her research demonstrated design considered e-textile outcomes through woven structural manipulations and design led methods to amalgamate weaving and electronics as a simultaneous process. The work investigated e-textiles materials for soft product application, (e.g. wearable technology, smart textiles) and opportunities for e-textile manufacture. The research also examined the design process and creative methods applied during the stages of textile design development.

The thesis is available via open access by directly downloading from BURA (Brunel University ResearchArchive), or via the British Library’s EThOs (E-Theses Online services).

Woven electronic textile by Priti Veja © 2015

Woven electronic textile by Priti Veja © 2015

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Return of Weft Lab...

Weft Lab has been silent for a while, but it has been quietly working away on completing research work, attending and speaking at seminars and conferences, preparing collaborative projects and workshops for some exciting future work. Stay tuned to hear more about recent activities.