15-18th March 2010, Atelier Nord, Oslo, Norway
10 participants, 4 days

Wearable Sound Experiments, or why does my knee bark and my armpit squeak?
This four day workshop introduces basic soft electronics techniques for constructing fabric sensors and wearable circuits. Instead of using soldering irons and wire, we will use sewing needles and conductive thread. The theme of the workshop is hacking sound toys into wearables. During the workshop each participant will develop a wearable project, paying attention to the placement of components and the relationship between body, action and sound. Participants will design wearable interactions and deal with issues such as comfort, functionality, context and purpose.

We will introduce to a range of available and affordable materials, tools and craft techniques for making soft electronics that are easy to be continued at home. The textile components covered in this workshop will include: soft and stretchy fabric traces, battery pouches, hard/soft permanent and plugable connections, pressure, bend, tilt and stretch sensors as well as modifying sound toy circuits to be integrated in soft circuitry. Techniques will include: sewing, soldering, embroidery, fusing, knitting, crochet as well as isolation techniques. 
Last but not least, we will be raising this question through out the workshop: why we would ever want to map sounds to our bodies in the first place, let alone embed electronics in our clothing.

Participants of all skill levels are welcome and encouraged to bring their own old cloths to re-purpose.

Participants and their projects

Inghild Karlsen “Reflective Sounds”

Kristen Klaebo “Annoying”

Elin Igland “One Man Band Suit” (working title)

Karina Siegmund “Soft Piano”

Svein Ove Kirkholm “Never Alone”

Hege Bratsberg “To Understand Electronics”

Katrina Anderson “Caressez-moi”

Hillevi Munthe “Animal Farm”

more pictures on flickr

KOBAKANT explore the use of wearable technology as a medium for commenting on the social and technological aspects of today’s high-tech society. Conscious of wearability and questioning of functionality, we believe in the spirit of humoring technology and present our twisted criticism of the stereotypes it creates. For us technology exists to be hacked, DIYed and modified by everyone to fit our needs and desires.

Mika Satomi holds BA in Graphic Design and MA in Media Art. Her previous projects varies from 3D animation to sculpture and interactive installations. Her current interest in body and technology leads her to explore techniques and materials from e-textile and soft circuitry. She has been collaborating with Hannah Perner-Wilson under the name KOBAKANT since 2007.

Hannah Perner-Wilson explores material properties for their use in creating handmade human-computer interaction scenarios. Focusing on the documentation and development of available and affordable technology that allows more of us to DIY, modify and fix the technology that surrounds us. She holds a Bachelor degree in Industrial Design from the Art University of Linz, Austria and is currently a graduate student in the High-Low Tech research group at the MIT Media Lab.

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