Solar-powered dress

Day-for-Night, an hommage to Paco Rabanne and a celebration of the beauty of electronics, is a modular, reconfigurable dress comprised of more than 400 white circuit boards (the number changes as the dress can get longer or shorter). The circuit boards are tied together with metal rings, individually addressable and linked to a central control unit at the back of the dress. Solar cells are embedded on some of the tiles: they charge the dress during the day, and make it change colors in dimly lit surroundings.

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“Each tile is designed in such a way as to accommodate a solar cell, a RGB LED, or a photocell, and jumper connectors (in the form of 0 Ohm resistors). A control board provides power, communicates with the tiles, and links to a computer via RF. The dress is completely modular both in terms of software and hardware.”

More images. Designed and produced by Despina Papadopoulos. Project Technical Lead: Jesse Lackey. Max Programming: Chris Lackey.

Also on view at Sartorial Flux, curated by Valerie LaMontagne, at the A + D Gallery in Chicago until October 21st.

Other works by Despina Papadopoulos at Studio5050: The hugJackets, ClickSneaks, etc.