Digital textiles

Edited by Prof. Dr. Birgit Haehnel

"In the future, textiles equipped with electronic conductors and minicomputers will play an increasingly important role in mobile technology. Smartphones and MP3 players are being integrated into everyday clothing, and textile surfaces can be modified by LEDs and motion sensors," says Prof. Dr. Birgit Haehnel in the brochure "Digital Textiles" just published by Rasch Verlag.

The brochure is based on a cooperation project between the Department of Textile Design at the University of Osnabrück and the Dr. Hans Riegel Foundation. The foundation has designed and built a so-called TouchTomorrow truck, the aim of which is to get schoolchildren excited about educational and career paths in the scientific and technical STEM fields (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, technology) by letting them experience and try out future technologies. The brochure by Prof. Dr. Birgit Haehnel on the subject of "Digital Textiles - The Future of Textile Design" is supplemented by contributions from Laura-Kristin Gustenberg "The E-jacket - Planning and Realization" and Lucia Schwalenberg "Smart Textiles - Application and Challenge".

On 32 pages with numerous photos and illustrations, the publication shows the background and creation process of a digital mantle as a visual exhibit for the truck, which is intended to support students from comprehensive schools and high schools in the 7th/8th and 11th grades in their research-based learning.

The digital coat was developed and manufactured in the creative workshop of textile design in order to, according to Prof. Dr. Birgit Haehnel, "experimentally explore the connection of digitalization with textile techniques in teacher training." The e-jacket is equipped with microprocessors, LED elements, integrated speakers and motion sensors, among other things. The individual elements can be controlled by visitors to the science truck via a touchscreen with an external arm cuff.

The project received interdisciplinary support from students of the Didactics of Computer Science working group at the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Osnabrück, headed by Prof. Dr. Michael Brinkmeier.

The topic of digitization, like dealing with questions of sustainability, is one of the tasks of teacher training in the subject of textile design at the University of Osnabrück.

Photos: Lucia Schwalenberg (bottom right), Wolfgang Sparenberg (all others).

Prof. Dr. Birgit Haehnel (Ed.)
Digital textiles
32 pages, numerous partly colored illustrations
Format 14,8 x 21 cm
Bramsche 2019
ISBN 978-3-89946-305-7