Billie Whitehouse: Designing Intelligent Garments with Haptics

In this presentation from PSFK 2014, Billie Whitehouse explores how design and technology can converge to imbue everyday garments with intelligence and purpose. She showcases her pioneering work in smart clothing, including "Funware" vibrating underwear for long-distance relationships, the "Alert Shirt" that allows sports fans to physically feel game intensity, and the "Navigate" jacket offering haptic-guided urban exploration. Whitehouse emphasizes the importance of invisible technology integration and connecting disparate ideas to create novel, intimate, and fun user experiences, positioning clothing as a powerful medium for enhanced human connection. 📑 CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:41 Funware: Intimate Wearables 02:22 Principles of Smart Design 03:38 Alert Shirt: Fan Immersion 06:07 Navigate: Haptic Navigation 07:38 Purposeful Garments 📌 KEY INSIGHTS ▸ "Funware developed vibrating underwear for long-distance couples, utilizing haptic feedback to transfer touch over the internet." — Billie Whitehouse (0:41) ▸ "Effective smart garment design integrates technology invisibly, ensuring the clothing retains its natural feel and purpose without overt tech indicators." — Billie Whitehouse (1:26) ▸ "The Alert Shirt allows sports fans to physically experience game emotions through haptic sensations, driven by real-time match data." — Billie Whitehouse (3:40) ▸ "The Navigate jacket provides intuitive directional guidance via haptic taps on the shoulders, enabling hands-free urban exploration." — Billie Whitehouse (6:07) ▸ "The fundamental goal of smart clothing is to imbue garments with intelligence, giving purpose to items worn 90% of the day." — Billie Whitehouse (5:53) ▸ "Innovation often stems from connecting two disparate ideas to create novel solutions, emphasizing fun, irreverence, and designing for intimacy." — Billie Whitehouse (2:22) ❓ FAQ Q: What is Funware? A: Funware is a line of smart underwear developed by Billie Whitehouse's team that uses haptic feedback to transfer touch over the internet, designed for couples in long-distance relationships. (0:41) Q: How does the Alert Shirt enhance the sports fan experience? A: The Alert Shirt, created by Billie Whitehouse's company, translates real-time game data into physical sensations through haptic motors, allowing fans to feel the intensity and emotions of the game directly in their jersey. (3:40) Q: What is the design philosophy behind Billie Whitehouse's smart garments? A: Billie Whitehouse emphasizes making technology invisible within garments, ensuring they feel like normal clothing while providing enhanced purpose. Her approach also focuses on connecting disparate ideas to create fun, intimate, and irreverent experiences. (1:26, 2:22) Q: How does the Navigate jacket work? A: The Navigate jacket incorporates an inbuilt GPS and uses haptic taps on the shoulders to provide directional cues (left, right, stop), allowing users to navigate cities without needing to look at a phone. (6:07) ── Wearable Experiments — https://www.wearableexperiments.com ── PSFK — 20+ years of trend research powering smarter decisions — https://www.psfk.com Fodda — Give your AI expert insights about smart garments and haptic technology with PSFK's Fodda — https://www.fodda.ai PSFK Newsletter — https://newsletter.psfk.com