Over the past few years, I have been researching and experimenting with Smart Textiles, fabrics with electronic components that interact with the wearer. My latest body of work includes Wearables, which I construct using digitally printed fabrics and embedding them with programmable LED lights coded using a micro controller, such as Adadfruit Neopixels and Circuit Playground Express.
The “Talismanic Kaftan” (2018) is printed with a Khamsa, a Middle Eastern protective symbol usually made of metal representing a hand, which I have transformed to become a repeat pattern digitally printed on cotton. The wearer of the garment communicates her comfort level with the viewer through the activity of the lights: a steady light means you’re ok, blinking red lights mean you’re too close.