Hey all, I'm totally new to wearables and generally building circuits without breadboards and was looking for some advice!
I'm working on a tactile feedback compass belt, inspired by http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to- ... /?ALLSTEPS. I've got the circuit prototyped on a breadboard and working totally fine, but I'm a bit stumped about how to actually get it onto a cloth belt.
The motor circuit uses five discrete components besides the motor itself (see http://learningaboutelectronics.com/ima ... rduino.png), and there are 8 motor assemblies. I started by trying to just solder some of the components together:
That soldering job is a bit of a travesty and I feel like there's got to be a better way, especially since the motors I have can be sewn in with conductive thread. Any advice on handling these discrete components like capacitors and transistors in wearable circuits?
Wearable Circuit Advice
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Wearable Circuit Advice
What you're doing is called 'freeforming', which is more of an art than a science.
The assembly in the picture above isn't bad. All it needs to be a showpiece is a bit of fit and polish.
Some freeform circuits are built on a framework of heavy wire that provides structural strength:
http://dangerousprototypes.com/2012/10/ ... d-bug-art/ while others go as small as they can:
http://make.kosakalab.com/arduino/obaka ... ex_en.html The main thing you need in freeforming is confidence. Start by giving yourself permission to do it, then bend wire like you mean it:
http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.com/2012/ ... phone.html
The assembly in the picture above isn't bad. All it needs to be a showpiece is a bit of fit and polish.
Some freeform circuits are built on a framework of heavy wire that provides structural strength:
http://dangerousprototypes.com/2012/10/ ... d-bug-art/ while others go as small as they can:
http://make.kosakalab.com/arduino/obaka ... ex_en.html The main thing you need in freeforming is confidence. Start by giving yourself permission to do it, then bend wire like you mean it:
http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.com/2012/ ... phone.html
- sero
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:00 pm
Re: Wearable Circuit Advice
Ha, thanks for the great reply Mike, I didn't realize that was a thing :) I'll have to get a file and some helping hands to nicen these soldering jobs up.
While I can see the appear/artsiness of freeforming, do you have any suggestions for getting this stuff onto a cloth belt (cloth basically just meaning I can stitch onto it) more practically? I mean worst case I'll just freeform 8 motor assemblies and sew them in with some normal thread, but given how much harder it is to solder these small components together, at least compared to soldering on a PCB, I figured there might be a easier, more practical way.
I think I want something like a flexible breadboard, but I haven't seen much like that for sale.
While I can see the appear/artsiness of freeforming, do you have any suggestions for getting this stuff onto a cloth belt (cloth basically just meaning I can stitch onto it) more practically? I mean worst case I'll just freeform 8 motor assemblies and sew them in with some normal thread, but given how much harder it is to solder these small components together, at least compared to soldering on a PCB, I figured there might be a easier, more practical way.
I think I want something like a flexible breadboard, but I haven't seen much like that for sale.
- sero
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:00 pm
Re: Wearable Circuit Advice
Woah woah woah, just found https://www.adafruit.com/products/1518 which looks like it might be perfect for what I want!
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Wearable Circuit Advice
A piece of wood/hardboard and some pins/brads/nails are handy too. You can make wire-bending jigs that produce identical shapes easily, and fixtures that hold pieces in position relative to each other while you solder them.sero wrote:Ha, thanks for the great reply Mike, I didn't realize that was a thing :) I'll have to get a file and some helping hands to nicen these soldering jobs up.
Don't worry about cutting wires to length until you get them soldered in place. The secret to placing 1/4" connections perfectly is the 4" that you use as a handle then clip away.
We have a whole range of wearable materials here: https://www.adafruit.com/categories/190 .. conductive thread, ribbon, and fabric, raw flex PCB material, etc.sero wrote:While I can see the appear/artsiness of freeforming, do you have any suggestions for getting this stuff onto a cloth belt (cloth basically just meaning I can stitch onto it) more practically?
Also check out all the tutorials over in the Learning System by our wearables expert Becky Stern: https://learn.adafruit.com/users/bekathwia
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.