Dresses writhe and glow only when someone is looking
Designer Ying Gao created two interactive dresses that move and light up when the built-in eye trackers detect a gaze.
Most dresses are made by fashion designers. It takes a special dress to also require the efforts of a robotic designer. Fashion designer Ying Gao brought in robotics designer Simon Laroche to help create (No)where (Now)here, two dresses that activate when someone looks at them.
The gaze-activated dresses incorporate eye-tracking technology. When the dress detects a person's gaze, it moves and lights up in the dark. The undulating dresses are mesmerizing to look at. The fabric moves like gentle waves, making them look alive, like some strange ocean denizens.
The interactive dresses' movements come from tiny motors. The lighting effect is generated by photoluminescent thread.
The artist's statement reads, "A photograph is said to be 'spoiled' by blinking eyes -- here however, the concept of presence and of disappearance are questioned, as the experience of chiaroscuro (clarity/obscurity) is achieved through an unfixed gaze."
The concept behind the dresses is intriguing. I'm imagining this technology going into everyday clothing. When you get the feeling someone is watching you, you would know for sure when your T-shirt starts jumping around.
(Via Dezeen)