The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) has announced the opening of Wired to Wear, an exhibit dedicated to the future of wearable technology.
Wired to Wear features cutting-edge tech from brands, designers, engineers and artists, including Google, Intel, Microsoft, and NASA.
“Wearable technology has been steadily gaining momentum for years and is on the cusp of taking hold in mainstream society. We believe this is the absolute right time to show people the innovation underway and help our guests understand why their closet will look radically different in only a few years,” said David Mosena, president and chief executive officer, MSI.
“We are thrilled to open Wired to Wear and are confident that the experience will redefine how people think about wearable technology and what it can become.”
Wearable technology fuelling innovation
The exhibit is designed to let guests touch, feel and try on the following items:
- SpiderSense Vest – this vest provides haptic feedback as visitors navigate through an obstacle.
- Iridescence – the collar’s quills use hundreds of actuators and vision-activated technology to follow your gaze and react with life-like behaviour.
- Smart Tattoo – designed by Microsoft, these conductive tattoos are placed on mannequin arms, turning the body into an interface.
- Infinite Flow – guests direct Google Jacquard fabric using the interactive cloth as an interface to control a series of fans and lights that allow it to float gracefully.
Throughout Wired to Wear, guests will see examples of how wearable technology is fuelling innovation to revolutionise the benefits clothing can and will provide, including:
- Gravity Industries’ Jet Suit – comprised of five miniature jet engines and an exoskeleton, which can travel more than 30 miles per hour and ascend to 12,000 feet.
- Nike’s self-lacing shoes from Back to the Future Part II, along with Nike’s HyperAdapt 1.0 and the recently announced Nike Adapt BB shoes.
- Seismic Powered Clothing™ – a lightweight alternative exoskeleton providing extra strength for standing and sitting to help reduce injury and preserve mobility.
- Dainese D-Air Racing Suit – this monitors the wearer’s position 1,000 times per second to determine if embedded airbags need to instantaneously inflate to protect the wearer from injury
- Jacquard™ – learn how the first product developed with this technology platform by Google, Levi’s® Commuter™Trucker Jacket with Jacquard, works.
MSI is simultaneously launching Makers United, a complementary experience where guests will assemble their own wearable product with circuit building and fabricated materials.
Technology continues to be integral in creating unique and memorable visitor experiences – read more about the key attraction technology trends for 2019, from VR and AR, to bots and AI.
Wired to Wear will be at MSI through May 2020. Makers United will run through January 5, 2020.
Header Image: Gravity Industries
