She's her own power source. And that's a handy resource for itinerant jazz violinist Elaina Grapeleni who specializes in the open air festivals that ring through the Eastern Mediterranean. Elaina was delighted to discover this lovely performance dress, which capitalizes on the tremendous energy she generates while fiddling on her electric violin. Interwoven piezoelectric materials contribute to the lovely shimmer of her frock and generate a charge from her movement. The elbow motion in her bow arm is a powerful energy producer which, in turn, verves her violin.

Designers
Ricardo Prado, Maria Ella Carrera, and Josefina Batres

Technology Collaborator
Rehmi Post

Kiril's company in Quezaltenango, Guatemala, needed to increase efficiency by improving internal communication. They needed a hands-free, roaming intercom system. The solution presented itself in this Washable/Wearable. Each morning Kiril chooses a shirt and then snaps on the microphone, speaker, and transmitter components that link together through the fabric. All of Kiril's shirts are washable; he merely unsnaps the components. This technology is easy to carry and easy to care for—durable and robust—just like the company's sales in the last quarter!

Designers
Ricardo Prado, Maria Ella Carrera, and Josefina Batres

Technology Collaborators
Nitin Sawhney

Aquanaut Nepti

Nepti is an avid member of Aquatic Explorations, the society for amateur deep sea explorers. Much as a birder would join the Audubon Society, men and women like Nepti join Aquatic Explorations to immerse themselves in the search for undersea flora and fauna. Currently, Nepti is exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Antennae attached to Nepti's sea cap contain fish sensors that detect the electrical fields of fish. When a release button is pushed, the buoyant antennae float to the surface to establish a nautical bearing via the global positioning system (GPS). Her face mask houses an electronic compass for underwater navigation and a surface-to-diver and diver-to-diver communication system.

Woven into the fabric of Nepti's wetsuit are pressure sensors that warn her if she depressurizes too quickly. Her oxygen tank allows her to explore with abandon because it is equipped with a re-breather that recycles air, removing the CO2.

Designers
Kazumi Suzuki and Masami Tanaka

Parisian anthropologist Philippe Maigrot relies upon the independent sonar grommets embedded in his clothing and shoes to negotiate the obstacles of his city, as well as the villages in the Vaucluse region where he is conducting his research. The grommets allow him to move between town and country and indoors and outdoors with ease. Philippe has impaired vision, but he walks confidently. The sonar grommets detect objects within one to four meters, vibrating to indicate the direction and proximity of objects. The vibrations increase as Philippe gets closer. Pulse variations tell Philippe whether he is approaching a step, a hole in the ground, or an automobile. Since each grommet is independently powered, Philippe can turn them on or off depending upon his directional needs.

To further aid his travels, Philippe has a Braille display connected to a GPS system. He has a finger scanner that can translate bar-coded into an audio message or Braille. With this nifty device, Philippe can identify a myriad of objects—from cans on his market shelf to library books.

Designers
Gilles Wittoeck, Rémi Ozello-Brocco, and William Leon

Technology Collaborator
Leonard Foner

Gaetano's snazzy vest is a variation on the sonar grommet theme. His vest is embedded with laser sensors that are more suitable for the type of long range scanning he needs when hiking or cross-country skiing in the Swiss Alps. Although Gaetano is unable to see the trees and boulders, he receives information on these objects through a touch feedback display that vibrates. He is able to change his course because the variable vibrations tell him the direction and proximity of dangerous objects.

Designers
Ricardo Prado, Maria Ella Carrera, and Josefina Batres

Technology Collaborators
Hong Tan and Sevgi Ertan