Sp4rkl3 is a dress that lights up due to electricity generated by its own motion. As Sp4rkl3's skirt swishes and sways, it provides a dynamic lightshow, encouraging its wearer to be active and giving others a visible gauge of her level of motion. There are no batteries; instead, a new power generation mechanism is used to create a dazzling effect with virtually no indication that electronics are involved.
Created by Kit Waal and Rehmi Post.
Motion-based electricity generation
Battery-free operation
Novel power harvesting mechanism
Integration with textile structure
LED integration
Power distribution system
Motion-sensitive design
Invisible electronics integration
Electrostatic Power Harvesting for Material Computing E. R. Post, K. Waal Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, v. 15 no. 2 pp. 115-121 (2011) doi:10.1007/s00779-010-0313-9 [Invited Paper]
Electrostatic Power Harvesting in Textiles E. R. Post, K. Waal Proc. ESA Annual Meeting on Electrostatics 2010, Paper G1
New Scientist: LED-studded skirt makes a bright fashion statement
The Point News: MIT Researcher Explains Science Through Fashion
Additional coverage in technology and fashion media