DIY Electronic Fashion

The Programmable Lilypad Arduino

The Lilypad Arduino. Sounds like a mix between a sports car and speed boat, but it’s neither. It’s an interface that allows textiles to be attached to circuits. The result is that you can have a bra that monitors your breath or a motorcycle turn signal on your shirt, or just cool jewelry.

Making your own interactive clothes isn’t that difficult or expensive. According toTalk2myshirt.com, “What you need to start creating your own Wearable Electronic fashion item is at least the following modules: mainboard, power supply and the USB->serial board to download the software to the LilyPad mainboard from your computer.”

The total cost for all three parts is under $60, a sensor is under $25 and light sensor is under $10.

I’m getting mine ASAP!

The LilyPad Arduino is a set of sewable electronic components that let you build your own soft, interactive fashion. To get started, snag a LilyPad starter kit, which has everything you need for a first project.