Oobject, a design blog for all things technology, regularly posts about the unusual & interesting gadgets out there (but often still under the radar of popular media). These, in turn, are ranked by user votes.

Check out this page ranking the 22 Best Interactive Clothing items--complete with video demos.


The complexity & interactivity of these products serves as a real contrast to the limited nature of fashion design kits currently being touted by major U.S. retailers:

No kits for air-conditioned clothing yet. - QB

LilyPad Layout

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=5475

Drag components to explore potential circuit layout for the LilyPad Arduino (and related components). Make connections between components by clicking on a hole in a circuit board and dragging to a hole in another board.

Build your own Loopin

Hannah told us about this great kit to build a Happy or Grumpy Loopin:

The educational textile electronics toy developed for ZippyKit includes everything you need to build your own 'Loopin'.

The finished creature's eyes light up when their smart soft ears are touched together, or to the ears of another Loopin. The kit can be configured in one of two ways, so that you can have two characters in one! Make the happy or the grumpy Loopin as many times as you wish while learning the circuitry.
Loopin provides a fun and accessible introduction to electronics, for both boys and girls, and is also a great, hands-on craft project, to be enjoyed by all the family.

Comes in a variety of colours, and you can also choose your own.
http://www.lostvalues.com/boutique/loopin-by-zippykit.html

New Fashion Design kits for kids -- Harumika Style!

I recently came across the "Harumika Runway Showstopper Set". The website says it

"makes fashion design easy and fun with the included pink dress form, stylus design tool, chic signature fabrics, fashion accessories and two Harumika charms, which unlock special features on the Harumika website!

All girls have to do is pick the fabric, wrap it around the dress form, and then secure it using the stylus in the exclusive Style Lock System on the back of the dress form - the design possibilities are endless!

With the included Harumika camera, girls can take pictures of their favorite designs and upload them to the Harumika website to join a fashion show and feature the styles in their very own online 'Look Book'."

Yasmin, sounds like someone else was interested in the Barbie Fashion Designer Kit TNG :) For more info, see the bandai.com website at http://www.harumika.com/

Getting Started Resources

Ordering Toolkits:
To order the LilyPad Arduino kits are available from SparkFun electronics. Leah suggests ordering the following as a starter kit:

1 LilyPad Pro kit: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8873
1 spool of 4ply conductive thread: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8549
5 LEDs: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8873
1 light sensor: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8464
1 RGB LED: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8467

NOTE: Each spool of thread can be shared with 3 or so people & you may not need the mini USB cables that are part of the pro kit.

Download the Arduino software for Mac or PC:
www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

Getting Started Guides:
http://web.media.mit.edu/~leah/LilyPad/
http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/ArduinoLilyPad