Sample book and Machine knit finger buttons
Made by vidyan · UNLISTED (SHOWN IN POOLS)
My project prototypes very simple machine knit buttons that can potentially be used for prototyping
Created: November 30th, 2018
0
Intention
The goal of this project was to use machine knitting and conductive yarn to show how quick plug-and-play style finger buttons can be created in order to both do quick prototyping for e-textiles as well as to create meaningful products.
Process
I have worked on machine knitting and wanted to explore using the same for generating easy conductive patches and tubes that can be used for soft-fabrication and e-textiles.
For the purpose of demonstrating the idea, I created a very simple tubular piece and sewed on an led for visualization. I think with more experiments to generate easily recognizable buttons, this can be extended into generating gloves over which these fingers can be "plugged on" to create useful input interactions such as soft chorded keyboards or musical instruments.
I used alternating sections of non-conductive acrylic yarn and conductive yarn to machine knit the prototype. The program to machine knit this was generated using "knitout" -- a low level abstraction for machine knitting (https://textiles-lab.github.io/knitout/knitout.html) that was turned into instructions that can be run on the Shima Seiki knitting machine in the textiles lab(https://textiles-lab.github.io/) using backend code developed by the lab.
Basic schematic
;!knitout-2
;;Carriers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
;Carrier 2 is non conductive
;Carrier 1 is conductive
x-stitch-number 67
inhook 2
tuck - f18 2
tuck - f14 2
tuck - f10 2
tuck + f12 2
tuck + f16 2
releasehook 2
x-stitch-number 67
knit - b19 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b3 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f16 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f18 2
x-stitch-number 68
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
knit + f8 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f16 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b3 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f6 2
x-stitch-number 67
knit + f8 2
knit + f12 2
knit + f16 2
knit - b19 2
knit - b15 2
knit - b11 2
knit - b7 2
knit - b3 2
knit + f0 2
knit + f4 2
knit + f10 2
knit + f14 2
knit + f18 2
knit - b17 2
knit - b13 2
knit - b9 2
knit - b5 2
knit - b1 2
knit + f2 2
knit + f6 2
x-stitch-number 68
outhook 2
inhook 1
tuck - f9 1
tuck - f5 1
tuck - f1 1
tuck + f3 1
tuck + f7 1
releasehook 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
outhook 1
inhook 2
tuck - f11 2
tuck - f7 2
tuck - f3 2
tuck + f5 2
tuck + f9 2
releasehook 2
x-stitch-number 67
knit + f10 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f16 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b3 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f8 1
x-stitch-number 68
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
knit + f10 1
knit + f12 1
knit + f14 1
knit + f16 1
knit + f18 1
knit - b19 1
knit - b17 1
knit - b15 1
knit - b13 1
knit - b11 1
knit - b9 1
knit - b7 1
knit - b5 1
knit - b3 1
knit - b1 1
knit + f0 1
knit + f2 1
knit + f4 1
knit + f6 1
knit + f8 1
outhook 1
drop f10
drop f12
drop f14
drop f16
drop f18
drop b19
drop b17
drop b15
drop b13
drop b11
drop b9
drop b7
drop b5
drop b3
drop b1
drop f0
drop f2
drop f4
drop f6
drop f8Reflection
Over the course and the project I realized that evaluating and calibrating many of the materials we used can be quite challenging and requires a good amount of physical prototyping and experiments which would be interesting to do. The first project that I wanted to do was to see how well muscle wire would be at keeping specific angles such that it can be used to fold stiff starched cotton or paper for box folding. With a little bit of experimenting I realized that it was quite challenging and getting the same effect would require carefully planned path. Then I looked at use the knitting machine to rapidly fabricate simple conductive setups that could be useful for e-textiles projects, again calibrating conductivity and resistance with varying yarn types and yarn amounts would be interesting.
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Found In
Courses
99-360 IDeATe: E-Textiles
· 13 members
In this class, students learn to create active, responsive and flexible artifacts using microcontrollers, electroluminescence wire, muscle wire, and electronics embedded fabric. This course also pr...more
About
My project prototypes very simple machine knit buttons that can potentially be used for prototyping