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.
