Imagine making a garment that changes colour or reacts to sound with your every move. It might seem like science fiction, but Associate Professor Kate Hartman's new book brings it to life.
Make: Wearable Electronics, Second Edition, empowers readers to dive into the world of wearable technology with projects that can be crafted at home. The hands-on guide features photos, insights and examples from OCAD U students, faculty, and alums with step-by-step instructions.
"We're living in a moment where wearable technologies have become a part of our everyday lives - they live on our wrists and heads, tracking our activities and transporting us into virtual worlds and augmented experiences, "says Hartman. "The more permissive we become in allowing technology into our personal spaces, the more carefully we must consider how it is designed and used now is a good time to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and create and hold space for diverse perspectives."
Published by Make:, a renowned publishing company specializing in DIY projects, technology, and maker culture, the book teaches everything from choosing the right materials for a wearable-electronics project to explaining how components can be combined to create dynamic costumes and fashion.
No stranger to developing wearable electronics, Hartman has been working with e-textiles for more than 15 years and is the founding director of OCAD U's Social Body Lab, a research and design team dedicated to exploring body-centric technologies in the social context.
In 2022, the Lab brought their expertise to the stage, collaborating with Tapestry Opera to design wearable technology prototypes that were integrated into the performers' costumes for their production of R.U.R. A Torrent of Light.
In addition to teaching at OCAD U, Hartman is also an adjunct instructor at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) and director of ITP Camp at New York University.
OCAD U caught up with Professor Hartman to discuss her latest book
