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    Content by Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson
    We support the Open Source Hardware movement. All our own designs published on this website are released under the Free Cultural Works definition
    The following institutions have funded our research and supported our work:

    Mika was a guest researcher at the Smart Textiles Design Lab, The Swedish School of Textiles

    Hannah is a former graduate student of the MIT Media Lab's High-Low Tech research group


    Hannah and Mika were both research fellows at the Distance Lab
    Connections

    Custom Plugs

    A series of custom made plugs to be sewable or soft.

    Shapelock Sewable Breakout

    This was used in the Puppeteer suit for the Language Game performance.

    Telephone Jack

    Nice because of the stretchiness of the cable and the sewability of the plug. This connection was used in the JoySlippers and Puppeteer Gloves projects.

    >> Local 99cent store
    >> http://cablescience.com/ (USA, will customize the cable)

    Massage me Silicone Plug

    Used in first version of Massage me. We shaped the plug we wanted from clay and then made a plaster mold to cast them with Dragon Skin silicone. This is a two component silicone that is mixed in a 1:1 ratio (equal parts), which makes it easy to use without precise measuring devices.
    Smooth-on Dragon Skin Platinum Cure Silicone Q (quick) >> http://www.smooth-on.com/Silicone-Rubber-an/c2_1115/index.html
    Instructable >> http://www.instructables.com/id/Massage-me-Custom-cable/

    First hot glue around the soldered cable connection to ensure that these will not bend too much, since the silicone is very soft. Then place in mold and add silicone.

    After the silicone had set we simply tightly sewed some fabric around the silicone and this was enough to keep it in place.

    5 Comments so far

    1. 4th generation prototype on September 18th, 2009

      [...] I had a look at HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT, a great resource for  wearables looking for an inspiration. I found that they use old telephone jacks: [...]

    2. High Tech Low Tech « Ben Buckalew on January 29th, 2010

      [...] Soft connections [...]

    3. adrian on November 10th, 2011

      This looks nice and neat. Sugru would do it well, too.

    4. admin on November 10th, 2011

      unfortunately Sugru and thread don’t always go so well together. sewing tight stitches into sugru cuts right through it.

    5. valencian on April 3rd, 2012

      How to make washable circuits or clothes with electronics? I want put a circuit in my shirt. How to wash the shirt without remove the circuit?
      What are the tips or questions to see to make it washable??
      Thank you.

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