Exploring e-Textiles in Indiana

By Steve Auslander, Chapter Leader and Imagination Creativity Consultant

If a mix of fashion and technology sounds appealing to you and your students, LRNG’s e-textile kit would be a great match.

So what exactly are e-textiles?

E-textiles are wearable technologies. Clothes that are wind or water resistant, or even fashion that lights up like a Lady Gaga outfit, and much more. They are popular now, and will likely become even more so as we attempt to broaden the number of kids who are interested in critical subjects like computer science and coding.

I was offered an opportunity to pilot an LRNG e-textile kit. In partnership with Best Buy, LRNG has developed online learning materials — called Playlists — that engage youth in hands-on STEAM learning. This e-textile playlist gives upper elementary students and/or teens the tools they need to design and craft basic e-textiles, such as cuffs, that blend fashion design with technology, engineering, art and programming.

The project sounded both amazing, but also a bit frightening at the same time since I lacked confidence in my sewing skills. Luckily, by partnering with Indiana University, I was able to work with several enthusiastic and skillful graduate students who helped me teach part of the kit to my 170 plus campers at our Indianapolis-based Learning Under the Sun camp. Learning Under the Sun is a two week science and technology themed summer camp for local Washington Township students entering 4th — 8th grade, and we were ready to have a lot of fun!

The graduate students taught us how to complete circuits with batteries and LED lights.

Then they introduced the concept of conductive thread. This thread, while very thin, is able to complete a circuit and when paired correctly with batteries in a fabric, they cause LED lights to shine!

The students were given multiple LEDs, plenty of fabric and conductive thread, a needle, some hot glue guns, and various other creative materials such as “googley” eyes, markers, colorful cotton balls, multi-color feathers, etc. Their imaginations went wild, as the students were guided through an experience with e-textiles for the very first time. While there were some bumps in the road, for example, some students struggled with sewing basics, sometimes their wires crossed and the LEDs didn’t light up, and some projects were more intricate than others, all of the students were able to complete an e-textile creation. These included colorful wristbands and cuffs, bookmarks, pretend animals, etc., that lit up. Everyone had a good time and learned a great deal, who knows where this introduction into the world of e-textiles will take some of our students?

We loved the opportunity of working with LRNG and piloting these kits. And we are thankful for the wonderful Indiana University graduate students who facilitated this innovative program with my students.

For more information about LRNG, look here: LRNG

For more information about E-Textiles, look here: Wearable Computers with E-Textiles and Conductive Fabric, Textile Messages