136: Wearable Technology - Sophy Wong

Wearable technology is not just smart consumer devices like watches and activity trackers. 

Wearable tech also includes one off projects by designers, makers, and hackers and there are more and more people producing tutorials on how to get started. Wearable tech is also a great way to get both kids and adults excited about coding, electronics, and in general, engineering skills. 

Sophy Wong is a designer who makes really cool stuff using code, technology, costuming, soldering, and even jewelry techniques to get tech onto the human body. 

Sophy joins the show to answer my many questions about getting started safely with wearable tech.

Some of the questions and topics:

• Can I wash my clothing if I've added tech to it?
• Is there any danger in wearing technology or building wearable tech?
• Are there actual wires and cables conductive thread in the fabric and textiles of some wearable tech projects?
• What's a good starter project? Especially if I want to do a wearable tech project with my kids?
• Dealing with stretch with clothing and non-bendy electronics.
• Some questions around the Sophy Wong and HackSpace "Wearable Tech Projects" book.
• How did you get into wearable tech?
• Do you have a favorite project?
• Can I get into wearable tech if I don't know how to code or solder?
• Are these projects accessible to people with limited budgets?
• Making projects so you can reuse the expensive bits on multiple projects.

Special Guest: Sophy Wong.

Links:

• sophywong.com
• Wearable Tech Projects book — The wearable technology book
• costumes — The dress is on this page, as well as the Ghostbuster pack and costume.
• spacesuit
• Music video with Sophy's space suit
• Kobakant tutorials