Process

As an architecture major, it starts with sketches. That's kind of a lie. I started by getting materials. Physical Computing had blue LEDs, although they're a bit small but should work once the legs are bent to be sown down, as well as a variety of push buttons. I ordered in a lilypad and a low-profile battery holder, as well as conductive thread. I also figured I wanted to get a good-looking yet cheap pair of gloves to save me the effort of making one, but also because they would look better that way.

I don't have much knowledge of Arduino, but I figured that if I knew how to make it work in python, it wouldn't be too hard to get working in the Arduino's C++. Plus, getting an Arduino means that I could expand the functionality of the system later on if I wanted to integrate LEDs into a hip-slung box to represent the body of the device, which might look something like the below.

Of course, at that point it makes more sense to have the battery and processor in that instead of a glove, but this should be cool. I mapped out the circuit(s) and wrote out a basic runthrough of what the code should do.

Issues that will pop up in the future will be how to actually integrate the Arduino and battery into the glove. My current idea would be to put them on the surface of the back of the glove where things aren't really moving around and covering them with either a layer of faux-leather or with a 3D printed part. Until the parts arrive, there's no telling how those will turn out.

I foresee issues actually getting the needle through the glove, and the shape of the glove itself is not friendly for leather hole-punchers. Hopefully a thin enough needle will get the job done.