By: Carion Jackson
Figure 1: Logo of Spoonflower.com
Nov 172014
Nov 102014
Figure 1. Smart Phin by Board Formula - via Wired.com
The best way to collect data in difficult locations is to use an adrenaline junkie to gather it for you. The Smart Phin can help surfers collect valuable data about the water they surf for researchers in order to understand more about our oceans. Continue reading »
May 092014
I had a fit over a ONESIE that I skimmed over at the Internet of Things and had to check that it was not my biological clock! Confirming with my husband, I have validated that
Figure 1. Mimo Baby Monitor
Figure 2. Mimo Baby Monito app interface
this is just COOL! The Huffington Post, Today, CNBC, and SF Chronicle all agree that Mimo baby sleep monitor is what parents deserve to achieve “Relief from heavy, anxious feeling. Clear and accurate information. Waking refreshed and energized.” Not having any children myself, I had to look at the real problem that this wearable technology solves in research. SIDS and SUID are not just acronyms that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elaborate on their website. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome represents that accidents happen, families grieve and suffer the ultimate loss of infant life less than a year old. Continue reading »
Mar 132014
Despite the incredible success of the Fitbit Force since its introduction, there is now a recall for the wearable tech due to complaints from 1.7% of owners experiencing a skin irritation. After analysis by third parties, Fitbit announced that the irritations “were likely the result of allergic contact dermatitis”, however they continued to announce that the irritant could be a few different things. Whether it be the nickel found in the surgical grade stainless steel used in construction, the materials used in the strap of the tech, or even the adhesive used during assembly, the initial voluntary recall has escalated to an official announcement by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Continue reading »
Dec 172013
Figure 1. Right Light
If you have been around children for any length of time, then you know that the journey towards learning which shoe goes on which foot can be quite a grueling one. For some reason, it seems that some kids insist on ignoring your directions and patient explanations in order to put their shoes on their way (most often the wrong way). This is a problem that I have seen time and time again, which is why I created the Right Light shoes. This handy pair of kicks is designed specifically for those children who struggle in the area of putting on their shoes correctly. The concept is that the child will put on the shoes and, if they put them on the right feet, they can touch their toes together and watch a bright display of LEDs blink on their shoe. If, however, the shoes go on the wrong feet, no amount of toe-touching will make those LEDs light up. Continue reading »
Oct 282013
Figure 1. Exmobaby Pajamas Track Baby Vitals
If there is one thing that all new parents have in common, it is the desire to understand exactly what their little bundle of joy is thinking and feeling. There are dozens of products in circulation that try to bridge the gap between the mind of the infant and their parents which include audio/video baby monitors and millions of insightful baby-interpretation books. Stepping far beyond these devices, however, is the Exmobaby technology. The company, Exmovere, has created a device that actually has the ability to easily, safely, and accurately read your baby’s moods, vitals, and physical state. Continue reading »
May 082013
2012 and 2013 has been an interesting time period for the development of technology into fashion, specifically with the development of Google Glass. Although, outside of the sporting good market where else have we seen advances in technological fashion to your mass markets? At a whopping expected price point of $1,500 who exactly does Google think they are marketing to? Continue reading »
May 082013
Researchers in Sweden have recently come up with a new way to differentiate between designer products and knockoffs, by weaving a high-tech thread into the fabric that can be detected through a polarizing filter. The thread reveals a pattern that is only visible while being polarized, with the intention stopping the shipment of counterfeit goods. Continue reading »
May 082013
I read about Wanelo as a sort of new way for shoppers to interact with each other by sharing wish lists, tagging friends on items, and following certain stores and people. The “posting things I want” aspect is pretty reminiscent of Pinterest (though that’s not Pinterest’s expressed function, it’s frequently used that way), with the huge difference that the photos are directly linked to stores. Social online shopping originally made me extremely uncomfortable, but after thinking about it for a while, I realized that shopping is, for some, a very social activity. With friends who largely communicate online, would it really be that much of a stretch for them to shop online together as well? Continue reading »
May 152012
Figure 1. Original image by Flickr User annelope; Modified for use on Fashioning Circuits under a CC-by license.
Wearable media may be limited to certain tech savvy or avant garde sectors of society, but this does not mean that emerging media has no impact on fashion for most users. Continue reading »