Levi’s has entered the world of Internet of Things (IoT) from the hands of Google. Signature of Garments presented a smart jacket with fabric designed by the technology giant.
During the final day of its annual Conference for Software Developers (I/O) in Mountain View, Calif., Paul Dillinger, chief innovation officer, puts on a woven jacket laced with conductive thread.
Dillinger showed that it could play, pause, and change tracks with a touch or sliding your hand over your wrist. The garment is a prototype, but the consumer version will be released in the spring of 2017, Forbes reported.
It could theoretically get directions, answer or make calls, log trips in a bicycle, among other functions.
“Anybody who rides a bicycle knows that navigating busy city streets is a terrible idea”, Dillinger said.
At the 2015 edition of I/O, the two companies announced an alliance to create connected clothing. Google’s experimental unit, Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP), created Project Jacquard, the technology behind the interactive fiber jacket.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ-lcdMfziw
Jacquard threads are woven into the handles of Levi’s jackets. Before going on sale, developers will have access to the trial version so that they can integrate additional functions.
“At the end of the day, you can fold up and put it in your backpack. If it gets dirty, you can just throw it in the washing machine”, Dillinger said.