Versions one and two of this project failed. With both I was trying to use a stretchy athletic vest with the heart rate monitor built in. The problem is that the shirt stretches a lot, but the Lilypad conductive thread does not. There were also issues of crossed wires and just too many connections too close to each other. My new plan is as follows: find a vest made of non-stretchy material and with a liner that I will remove for sewing in wiring. Also, I will not use the conductive thread as it is pretty fragile and doesn't seem to have a long lifespan.
I'll probably do a design as follows: Red/Green/Blue LEDs on the back arranged in the shape of a heart. Numeric display on the front and more LEDs and possibly the SparkFun Open Heart Display on the front as well.
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you have to stretch as much as possible the shirt to sew so the conductive thread will be "folded" when the shirt is in repose.
ReplyDeleteYeah, then the thread is loose when the shirt is not fully stretched out and that causes problems like unwanted connections and shorts...
ReplyDeletethanks.
can you post a little more of your project like code or schema ?
ReplyDeleteRegards
Bussiere
When I had issues with threads shorting out, I ended up putting down one "line" of thread at a time,and then covered it with puff-paint / fabric glue.
ReplyDeleteIt left a lot less room for error, but kept the circuit from shorting when the fabric moved..
Good luck!
I abandoned the thread because it does not last very long and use very small gauge wire. It is also covered so there is no cross talk. I also have positive and negative components of the circuit on different interface layers. Yes the material is thicker, but works well.
ReplyDeleteI have pretty much abandoned conductive thread as well. It is too problematic. Also, I am not longer using stretchy fabric at all.
ReplyDelete