Bikini + Sun = Power!

While joking with classmates at ITP, NYU's Interactive Telecommunication Program, Andrew Schneider came up with the idea of making a beer cooler using solar panels and ended up making a solar powered bikini.

According to Scheider, “The suit is a standard medium-sized bikini swimsuit retrofitted with 1″ x 4″ photovoltaic film strips sewn together in series with conductive thread. The cells terminate in a 5 volt regulator into a female USB connection.” 

Giles Deacon has solved the ‘ugly 3D viewing glasses’ problem with his latest venture with LG. Via: Harper's BAZAAR

The hit UK documentary series My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding has come to this side of the Atlantic, currently showing on TLC. The series offers a rare glimpse into the traditionally secretive Irish traveller community. Despite the show title, Irish travelers are not related to the Romani people. Misnomer or not, I found the series a compelling watch. How can it not with colorful dresses like these:

The Asian Tube TV Online Videos Blog features a video of the new “Necomimi” cat ears that convert your brainwaves into movements. The maker ”neurowear” uses a popularized cultish "CatGirl" style found in Anime and in street styles of Japan. The headband reads your brainwaves through various bio sensors which cause the ears to wiggle in response to your emotional state. 

In February, I shared my passion for the integration of fashion and technology with the TED audience at the TEDYou Stage in Palm Springs. During my talk I wore a light up jacket that was made from hacking Eric's HeartSpark necklace. The jacket was beaded with lights that blinked in rhythm with my heartrate in real time.

If you don't feel like wearing your heart on your sleeve this Valentines Day, try wearing it as a necklace.

Eric Boyd of Sensebridge, designed this wonderful heart-shaped circuit that blinks with the beating of your heart. It reads from a Polar transmitter that you wear around your chest and shares your most intimate biological information with anyone watching. 

The Heart Spark V1.0 is being sold at a trial price of $69 plus shipping & handling, you can purchase it here: http://sensebridge.net/projects/heart-spark/

Just in case you missed it, watch the amazing light up clothing from the Super Bowl Half Time Show.

Think Project Runway is hard? Try hacking your clothes with technology in 6 hours!  

On February 1st, watch live as I challenge 14 fashion students from the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center to hack their clothes with technology at eTech Ohio. With only 6 hours and no prior knowledge of technology, Juniors and Seniors will instruct and learn how to infuse technology such as conductive thread, fabric, fiber optics, wires, and sewable LEDs into garments.

The designs will be showcased on the catwalk prior to the keynote event on the 2nd. Don't Miss it!

If you want to keep up on the play by play action, be sure to follow the conference on Twitter @ohioetc

According to Chinese Astrology, 2010 is the year of the Tiger, but I am calling it the year of the Tigress. It is a year of personal growth, intense change, travel, opportunities, friendship, and challenges. Every day, I had to learn how to land on my feet.

The year got off to a grand start with another episode of the show, MyHome 2.0. I created an interactive Skype Wall for the Reyes Family in Tampa, Florida and shared the stage with the flawless Tiffany Smith and Mark Montano. The Reyes’ loved the Skype wall I built and have called me from it a few times after the show. They still use it weekly to keep up with friends and family.

[On the set of My Home 2.0]

Directly after MyHome2.0, I flew to LA to spend a day with my friend and visit Disney Imagineering. I can't say what I saw, but it was stupendous! It was a dream visit. While there I had dinner with one of my favorite fashion techie’s Ms Syuzi Pakhchyan of Fashiontingtech.com.

Want to see men falling at your feet while your turn down the volume?

ZIP by Jennifer Darmour of ElectricFoxy is a sexy tailored jacket with a zipper controlled volume control for your ipod, earbuds in the collar, and form fitting device holder. Future iterations will have the ability to skip tracks, pause, play and browse through the actions in our clothing. This is another advanced prototype from

I can't wait to see more, but Ms. Electricfoxy feels that the mainstream fashion world just isn't ready for electronic fashion. "Very few wearable technology projects successfully target consumers outside of the sports, medical and military fields. We are just not there yet. The project (Zip) aims to generate market desirability for a wide variety of people to use in everyday life" says Jennifer.

All I know is that with style like this, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga leading the way, I think 2011 just may be end up being the year for techno fashion. In fact, I am counting on it. For order inquiries, please contact: : orders@electricfoxy.com

If you cannot see the video above, click here: ZIP from Dos Rios on Vimeo.

Thanks for sharing Jennifer! Awesome work!