For the first time ever, Levi’s® iconic trucker jacket is interactive. Levi’s has partnered with Google ATAP to take the consumer’s cycle ride to the next level.
With Jacquard™ technology woven in, Levi’s® Commuter™ Trucker Jacket allows people to stay connected without reaching for their phones – the dynamic jacket has digital functionality built in. A tag wirelessly connects the conductive yarns in the jacket’s cuff to the wearer’s mobile device. Remove the tag, and the entire garment is washable and durable – just like regular denim.
Technology Woven In
Project Jacquard™ (as Levi’s® is calling it) makes it possible to weave touch and gesture interactivity into any textile using standard, industrial looms.
This is possible thanks to new conductive yarns, created by Levi’s® in collaboration with their industrial partners. Jacquard yarn structures combine thin, metallic alloys with natural and synthetic yarns like cotton, polyester, or silk, making the yarn strong enough to be woven on any industrial loom. They are indistinguishable from traditional yarns that are used to produce fabrics today.
Innovative techniques are used to attach the conductive yarns to connectors and tiny circuits, no larger than the button on a jacket. These miniaturized electronics capture touch interactions, and various gestures can be inferred using machine-learning algorithms.
Captured touch and gesture data is wirelessly transmitted to mobile phones or other devices to control a wide range of functions, connecting the user to online services, apps, or phone features.
LEDs, haptics, and other embedded outputs provide feedback to the user, seamlessly connecting them to the digital world.
Jacquard is a blank canvas for the fashion industry. Designers can use it as they would any fabric, adding new layers of functionality to their designs, without having to learn about electronics.
Developers will be able to connect existing apps and services to Jacquard-enabled clothes and create new features specifically for the platform.
The Usefulness
With this technology, with just a brush of the sleeve, people will be able to:
- Navigate the City: Stay on course. Get reminded of your next turn or ETA to your destination.
- Connect to Their Surroundings: Keep track of meaningful destinations along the ride.
- Communicate with Ease: Stay in touch while staying aware.
Over time, additional features will be added to further make this jacket a co-pilot for life.
Jacquard components are cost-efficient to produce, and the yarns and fabrics can be manufactured with standard equipment used in mills around the world. One loom can generate as many different textile designs as there are people on the planet. Now that same loom can also weave in interactivity.
