Google and jean makers Levi’s have partnered to create a smart denim jacket from conductive fibres, turning its left sleeve into an interactive surface.
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At the beginning of this year, following its unveiling at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, I asked if any of you out there in the wild were considering buying a “smart bike”, which put a touchscreen right there for easy access.
Almost two years after first teasing Project Jacquard, the company’s experiment to weave technology into clothing, the first garment to actually use the tech is ready to launch.
The jackets are made using Jacquard technology – named after the Frenchman who invented a type of loom. Levi’s says it’s ideal for people like bicyclists, who want to change their music, ignore calls from their boss and get directions while in the middle of a ride. The jacket is simple to use and with one tap of the jacket’s sleeve, it can activate certain functions of a smartphone.
Levi’s futuristic jacket will surely become a hit with the current trend. The project is starting as part of a denim jacket, but it can be applied to any fabric.
And if you want one, be prepared to shell out $350. According to Google the battery will last approximately two days, though the company hopes to increase this time. You can also charge this USB separately to enable the coat to work.
“The tech is becoming a design element like a zipper, so it can be used in many normal ways”, Poupyrev said during the SXSW presentation, reported Ars Technica.
There’s also a Bluetooth Jacquard tag that has to be plugged in and a companion app. Impressively, Google claims that the jacket is machine washable so buyers won’t have to go through an elaborate cleaning ritual to get dirt off.
The jacket will be available in fall 2017, for $350.
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“With Jacquard technology woven in, this Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket allows you to stay connected without reaching for your phone”, Levi’s says on its website. It definitely looks like the ideal blend of fashion and technology, which was Google’s aim from the start.
