A computer programmer friend brought my attention to this article about an interesting development--the embroidered computer!
In this machine, electronic relays are composed of metal threads and magnetic metal and glass beads; the result is equivalent to a circuit board. Gold thread is heavily used because of its conductive properties, not because of its beauty, but the result is beautiful anyway; pictures of the computer are part of the article. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be an output device attached, though Irene Posch of the project says it is a programmable 8-bit computer.
This is not the first foray of Ms. Posch and Ebru Kurbak, her co-designer, into the world of textile electronics. Articles about still more electronic textile works by Posch and Kurbak, such as a sweater that acts as a radio transmitter, can be found on Ms. Posch's webpage, http://www.ireneposch.net.
What a cool thing to make! Thank you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteThanks. The friend who posted it follows my food blog (one of the few who bothers), and he thought I'd find it interesting.
DeleteMs. Posch's other projects are worth reading about too; if you haven't, do check out the other projects on her website.