Original plan:

To make a dress based on the weather

New plan:

Make a dress based on breathing

Changes:

With the original dress, I wasn’t a fan of how data viz-y the dress was looking.

I liked the idea of a mechanical dress, but I didn’t want it to just respond to stimulus, I wanted it more to look like a creature of its own.

With this new breathe dress, the only input is breathing, but the dress itself will be positioned in a metal cage-like space. The skirt of the dress will be attached in certain places using a fishing line thread reel system.

When the person inhales, the dress will float upward, and when the person exhales, it lowers, hence breathing.

Sketches:

 

 

Where I’m at now:

Dress designing/material purchasing:

I am currently in the process of choosing a material for the skirt. Since the skirt will be moving using only fishing line, it needs to be super lightweight.

 

Fabrication of the rig:

The steel for the machine itself arrived on Tuesday, and I’m am currently cutting/welding the base of the structure.

Mechanical reel system:

I am currently testing motors/finding ways to attach the spool to a motor.

Upcoming checkpoints:

April 17:

• Finish construction of the rig
• fabric purchased and measured out
• physical mechanics of reel figured out

April 22:

• reel installed and function on rig
• dress sewn

April 25:

• Prototype testing finished

April 28th:

• Crit day