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10 Finalists Will Re-Invent the Hat in element14 Design Competition

wpolk — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 07:53:04 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by wpolk on 10/8/2021 7:53:04 AM

“Hats Off” Challenge provides participants with the Adafruit GEMMA and accessory pack

CHICAGO – August 14, 2014 – element14, along with partner Adafruit, today announces the finalists in its “Hats Off” global design challenge. Participants will re-imagine the hat into new wearable technology solutions using the Adafruit GEMMA and an accompanying accessory pack.

The Adafruit GEMMA is a tiny Arduino-compatible sewable microcontroller capable of lighting up a constellation of LEDs based on simple sensors and actions. Competitors will develop hat-like garments that provide functionality beyond shielding the wearer from sun or rain.

“Our intent with this challenge was to encourage people to create wearable technology devices offering real-world solutions,” said Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community, element14. “Submissions came from countries spanning the globe, and in addition to being functional they were all creative and intriguing. We’re excited to see the proposed projects come to life.”

The finalists, as well as their countries of origin and proposed builds, are as follows:

Todd Cowley (U.S.) – light-up Iron Man helmet
Tyler Crumpton (U.S.) – extra-sensory Case Cap
Gladys Delgado-Garced (U.S.) – matching dog and owner umbrella hats with directional capability
Barbara Eldredge (U.S.) – jaunty fascinator that changes color and intensity based on the wearer’s amount of movement
Miles Flavel (Australia) – jack-in-the-box style top hat featuring a doll that tips its hat with the push of a button
Lori Griffiths (U.S.) – electronic Mardi Gras hat
Reed Morse (U.S.) – furry hood with animated eyes
Carl Penny (Canada) – modified scifi gas mask
Claire Price (United Kingdom) – electronic Easter bonnet
Lourens Smit (South Africa) – hat to provide visibility in dark environments and animate in social situations

Along with the Adafruit GEMMA, the finalists will be provided with the following:

Adafruit Micro Lipo - USB LiIon/LiPoly charger - v1
Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 500mAh
Four Flora RGB NeoPixels V2
Stainless Thin Conductive Thread - 2 ply - 25 meter/85 ft
Photo cell (CdS photo-resistor)
Small Alligator Clip Test Lead (set of 12)
GEMMA miniature wearable electronic platform
USB cable - A/MiniB - 3ft
Tactile On/Off Switch with Leads
Fast Vibration Sensor Switch
Small Enclosed Piezo w/Wires

The competition will conclude October 31, 2014. Competitors will be judged on their creativity, quality of documentation and the execution of their project. The grand prize winner will receive an Oculus Rift from element14 and one complete FLORA Collection parts pack from Adafruit.

“The submissions were all so great, it was hard to pick just a few competitors,” said Becky Stern, Director of Wearable Electronics at Adafruit. “I'm excited to see what functional hats and costumes are developed through the course of the competition, and look forward to watching the creative process unfold on the element14 Community.”

For more information on the “Hats Off” design challenge, visit the homepage.

-End-

About the Premier Farnell Group

Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) is a global leader in high service distribution of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, production, maintenance and repair. It trades as Farnell element14 in Europe, Newark element14 in North America and element14 across Asia Pacific. With sales last year of £968m, the Group is supported by a global supply chain of more than 3,500 suppliers and an inventory profile developed to anticipate and meet its customers’ needs.  

Premier Farnell works with key strategic suppliers to bring to market development kits in a variety of applications, enabling it to support the customer from design concept through to production.

The latest products, software, services and solutions from trusted supplier partners are all available through 43 local language transactional websites, with customer support provided by degreed engineers. The element14 Community allows buyers and engineers to access a wide range of independent technical information, tools and the latest resources.

For news updates from Premier Farnell and element14 visit:

Premier Farnell News Centre – www.premierfarnell.com/media-centre
Twitter - @element14news; @element14
YouTube – element14
Facebook – facebook.com/element14page

Email: pressoffice@premierfarnell.com

Premier Farnell Key facts

Operations in 36 different countries
More than 4,300 employees
More than 3,500 leading suppliers
More than 500,000 products stocked with access to over four million more on demand
Leaders in providing information on REACH, Conflict Minerals and EU RoHS legislation

For more information visit the website at Premier Farnell.

Global Contact:

Ken Leitch

Global Head of PR

Tel: +44 207 851 4145

Email: kleitch@premierfarnell.com

Global PR Agency:

Darren Willsher/Andrew Hill

EML Wildfire

Tel: +44 208 408 8000

Email: element14@emlwildfire.com

European Contact:

Jen Cooke

PR Manager, Europe and Global

Tel: +44 113 279 0101

Email: jcooke@premierfarnell.com

APAC Contact:

Christina Loh

PR Manager, APAC

Tel: + 65 6671 8769

Email: cloh@element14.com

North America Contact:

William Polk

PR and Social Media Manager

Tel: +1 773 907 5199

Email: wpolk@newark.com

North American PR Agency

Allison Dreiband

Walker Sands Communication

Tel: +1 312 648 6010

Email: allison.dreiband@walkersands.com

Tags: hats_off, Wearable, wearable_technology, adafruit_gamma, adafruit, arduino

Adafruit Gemma Hats Off Challenge Competitors

doctorcdf — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 07:53:01 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by doctorcdf on 10/8/2021 7:53:01 AM

Todd Cowley
United States

Project: Iron Man Helmet
Synopsis:

My project is to build an Iron Man helmet That lights up, and has a face piece that moves up so you can see the wearer's face (by manually grabbing the face plate and moving it upward) like it does in the movies.

Read Todd's project blogs (tag iron_man_helmet)

Tyler Crumpton
United States

Project: Case Cap
Synopsis:

The Case Cap is an extra-sensory headpiece created in the style of the iconic hat worn by Sherlock Holmes. It features an ultrasonic sonar ping sensor on the back of the hat to detect people or objects behind the wearer, providing an increased situational awareness that rivals even Holmes's abilities! Four RGB LEDs sewn into the brim alert the wearer when anything is detected by the ping sensor and will change in brightness, intensity, color, and pattern based on how close the detected object or person is.

Read Tyler's project blogs (tag case_cap)

Gladys Delgado-Garced
United States

Project: Dog and Human Umbrella Hats
Synopsis:

My idea is to make two umbrella hats, one for me and one for my dog, Pierre. I also will make a matching poncho for both me and Pierre with the help of my seamstress. I would like to have a compass attached to the hats or the poncho so that whenever I or Pierre turn a certain way, the lights will come on. I will make clear umbrella hats and matching ponchos, and if I am able to, I will also add El wire to the edges of my ponchos.

Read Gladys's project blogs (tag umbrella_hats)

Barbara Eldredge
United States

Project: Jaunty Fascinator
Synopsis:

This entry in the Hats Off Challenge is a jaunty fascinator that changes color (cool to warm) and intensity (dim to bright) based on the wearer's amount of movement. Four NeoPixels are concealed within elegantly sewn folds of translucent polyethylene plastic, creating a diffusion effect for the light. The plastic folds also hide a base supporting the Gemma, battery pack, and the added Flora Accelerometer used to detect the wearer's movement. Other decorative elements include wisps of thinner plastic used as feather-like accents, a delicate half-veil made of netting, and possibly crystals.

Read Barbara's project blogs (tag jaunty_fascinator)

Miles Flavel
Australia

Project: The Tipping Hat
Synopsis:

I'd like to make a top hat with a button in the front of the brim (around where you'd hold it when tipping your hat). Upon pressing the button, the top of the hat would flip open, a little person (doll torso) would pop up and tip their hat to anyone in front of me, then disappear back into the main body of the hat until triggered again. I feel like this shouldn't be too hard, just a few servos triggered in order, perhaps a few LEDs inside to add emphasis at night. I just hope that people don't see it as rude that I'm outsourcing the gesture of tipping a hat.

Read Miles's project blogs (tag tipping_hat)

Lori Griffiths
United States

Project: Mardi Gras Hat
Synopsis:

My proposed project is a Mardi Gras ‘hat’. My hat is very versatile, as it could be worn for Mardi Gras and Halloween. The mask is surrounded by folded fabric. I would like to create a kerchief type wrap that ties with a large bow at the back of the head, which will provide support and custom sizing to whomever is wearing it. I may need to incorporate elastic, if more support is required.

Each disk surrounding the face will be made of foam core and covered in a gold (lamé ?), reflective fabric. The gathered overlay will be made of tulle (hopefully to pull light and disperse it from the center).

The center will be a NeoPixel covered with translucent beads to pull the light and reflect it outward. I’m hoping the tulle will pick up the light and spread it even further outward. I’ll have to experiment and make sure the beads don’t reduce the light. My hope is that it will amplify it.

The circles will be sewn to each other as well as the center mask. The electronics will be located behind the bottom center circle for easy access.

Read Lori's project blogs (tag mardi_gras_hat)

Reed Morse
United States

Project: Furry Hood
Synopsis:

I would like to build a furry hood with eyes. The eyes will have various interactive animations, such as: sparkles based on head movement; changing color based on cardinal direction; pupils that look around; blinking eyelids.

Read Reed's project blogs (tag furry_hood)

Carl Penny
Canada

Project: Modified Gas Mask
Synopsis:

The project I have in mind will be a modified gas mask. It will use NeoPixels combined with fibreoptics and laser cut acrylic to make something scary scifi fun. My experience with micro controllers is limited; so this will be a bit of learning. Without the learning what’s the point NeoPixels are also new to me. I have stuck with simple led's and current drivers in the past; not into blinky lights.

Read Carl's project blogs (tag mod_gas_mask)

Claire Price
United Kingdom

Project: Easter Bonnet
Synopsis:

The basis of the hat would be a traditional bonnet and to this bonnet the NeoPixels would be part of the flowers. They would be the middle of the flower head. From them petals would be made either from colourful paper/acetate with a frame of some sort (the material of which I haven't decided on yet) or mirrored card, which ever material shows off the light emitting from the NeoPixels the best (a crude diagram of the flower is attached). The Gemma itself would be incorporated into the hat, by making up the centre of the bow as ribbon would encompass the hat.

Read Claire's project blogs (tag easter_bonnet)

Lourens Smit
South Africa

Project: Music Festival Mullet
Synopsis:

Essentially, I want to make the mullet of headgear. South African music festivals tend to be in rather remote areas. One of our biggest festivals, Oppikoppi is held in the bush. Campers have no electricity during the 4 day event and there is not really a culture of wearable electronics here quite yet.

I would start with a top hat or bowler hat (we gotta be fancy) and encircle it with NeoPixels.

I’d like to use the GEMMA as my main platform, then use light produced by the NeoPixels to light people up at festivals when I need to take pictures. The NeoPixels are very bright and with a wide aperture lens would provide sufficient and interesting light. I would program different patterns for the NeoPixels so that I could make interesting light - for example if I was standing in front of someone, blue light on the left side of the hat would illuminate blue on the right side of their face while red light on the right side of the hat would illuminate red on the left side of the their face. This could also work as a torch mode for when there is a need to stumble back to the campsite in the dark after a night of partying.

Read Lourens's project blogs (tag music_mullet)

Tags: hats_off, wearable_technology, adafruit_gemma, adafruit

Documents

migration.user — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 18:02:39 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by migration.user on 10/1/2021 6:02:39 PM