Bumping Elbows explores a workflow integrating 3D body scanning technology with robotic knitting to create personalized garments. Traditional 3D knitting development relies on 2D drafts and panels, rooted in industrial flatbed knitting practices. Our approach leverages accurate topology measurements from 3D body scans to directly inform garment design and production, allowing for custom fits to unique body shapes. We will demonstrate this process through live 3D scanning and software demonstrations, highlighting the challenges and opportunities integrating body scans and knitting techniques like goring. Our included software addresses limitations of previous work and outlines advancements needed for broader research adoption, emphasizing the potential of combining 3D scanning with robotic knitting. This method offers enhanced personalization and sustainability in garment production, showcasing the ongoing challenges and advancements in achieving precision in robotic knitting.
DOCUMENT
The short-term aim of this R&D project (financed by the Centre of Expertise Creative Industries) is to develop a virtually simulated textile database that renders 3D visual representations of these fabrics. The idea is for this database to be open source and be able to interface with 3D design applications such as those of Lectra. The textile database will include a number of different digital datasets per textile that contain information about the fabric’s drape, weight, flexibility etc., to virtually render prototypes in a 3D simulated environment. As such, in building garments via a 3D software design application, designers will be able to see how a garment changes as new textiles are applied, and how textiles behave when constructed as different garments. This will take place on 3D avatars, which may be bespoke body scans, and will allow for coordinated and precise fitting and grading.
DOCUMENT
The conductive textile grid is a large-scale (226 x 115 cm) multi-layer demonstrator exhibiting different conductive textile materials with certain outputs (such as LEDs, thermo-chromic ink and shape memory alloy) can be connected onto a base conductive fabric. Various conductive materials such as knitted patches, woven patches and 3D woven patches are attached on to the 2D base conductive fabric using different connectors. The objective is to determine the best way to electrically connect the various conductive textile patches, providing smooth transfer of current in each of the conductive patches of the base conductive fabric. The functioning of the outputs proved the transfer of electricity from the base fabric onto the conductive patches activating the outputs. The demonstrator constructed on semi-industrial scale has unique features and each of the components can be implemented integrally to develop different products of Smart textiles. Paper written by the Smart Functional Materials chair of Saxion for and accepted by the Autex Conference 2013 (22-24 May 2013, Dresden, Germany).
MULTIFILE
This proposal aims to explore a radically different path towards a more sustainable fashion future through technology. Most research on fashion and technology focuses on high tech innovation and, as a result, overlooks knowledge that is already available and has been used, tested and improved for centuries. The proposed research project, however, looks backward to move forward. It aims to investigate ‘the blindingly obvious’ and asks the question how historical technologies could be used to solve contemporary environmental issues in fashion. It thus argues that technology from the past could inspire both designers and technologists to come up with new and exciting solutions to make the future of fashion more sustainable. The current fast fashion system has changed the relationship consumers have with their clothing. Clothing has become a throwaway object and this has severe environmental implications. This research project aims to find a solution by exploring historical technologies - such as folding, mending and reassembling-, because in the past a ‘sustainable’ attitude towards fashion was the norm simply because cloth and garments were expensive. It wants to examine what happens when consumers, fashion designers and technologists are confronted with these techniques. What would, for example, materialize when an aeronautical engineer takes the technique of folding as a starting point and aims to create clothes that can grow with babies and toddlers? The answer is the signature suit of the brand Petit Pli: a special folding technique allows their signature suit to grow with children from 3 months to 3 years. Much like the age-old folding techniques applied in traditional Dutch dress, which allowed the size women’s jackets to be altered, by simply adjusting the pleats. Similarly, this project aims to investigate how high tech solutions, can be initiated through historical techniques.