Light Up Jumpsuits
for STEM From Dance performances at the Women in Tech Global Summit in Paris
Time to complete:
My Role:
Team:
Tools & Techniques:
Application:
1 week
Engineer – Physical Computing, Wearable Tech
An Engineer and a Designer
Microcontrollers, Hardware Soldering, Sewing
For Dance Performance at the Women in Tech Global Summit in Paris 2023
For a dynamic performance at the 2023 Women in Tech Global Summit in Paris, STEM from Dance—a group dedicated to merging STEM education with dance—needed custom LED-embedded jumpsuits. As the embedded engineer on this project, I was tasked with creating a design that would not only bring the desired visual impact but also withstand the movements of a live performance. This included advising on feasible designs, building the internal circuitry, assembling the suits, and overseeing user tests to ensure the electronics remained stable and functional through the dancers’ high-energy choreography.
A Conversation with STEM From Dance
STEM From Dance empowers young women of color to pursue careers in STEM by integrating technical skills with the creativity of dance. Through immersive programs, they inspire confidence, curiosity, and the pursuit of STEM fields, making technology accessible and engaging. More about them at:
STEM from Dance assembled a team of designers and engineers who had experience with wearable electronics and technology. As part of this team, my task was to guide the design and deal with the technical development and challenges.
Bold Designs for Dynamic Performers
Out of the proposed LED jumpsuit designs, the first design offers several advantages for dynamic dance choreography and electrical wiring for the LEDs:
Visually: The pattern flows symmetrically across the body, enhancing visual appeal and ensuring LED coverage without overwhelming the design.
Technically: LEDs are positioned to avoid joints, allowing free movement without strain on wires. This arrangement reduces stress on connections, promoting durability and stability during intense moves.
Resource Efficiency: By optimizing placement, it minimizes resource use while achieving impactful visuals, essential for an effective creative tech solution in performance settings.
A Battleplan for A Challenging Timeline
With only 1 week, we decided to break down the project into 3 main deliverables
1) Sewing on the LED Strips – The first challenge for the team was to attach the LED strips is a way to allow washing of the suit. A Velcro base was sewed on upon which the LED strips and the circuits could be attached which would allow for detaching when needed (washing, troubleshooting etc.)
2) Electrical wiring and soldering the connections – The electrical wiring needed to be invisible, insulated to avoid contact with the skin, sweat, strong enough to hold against strain from exaggerated body movements.
3) Test on the dancers – This part was focused on troubleshooting and testing the design and the soldered connections to make sure the dancers could comfortably dance in the suits. They went over rehearsals with the suits on as our team patched up all the issues that came up.
Technical Overview - Making The Suit Light Up
By avoiding soldering connections at joints, I used stranded wires to connect the LED strips in series with the microcontroller – Adafruit Circuit Playground. The dancers were familiar with this microcontroller and had compatibility with Microsoft Make Code so they can make changes to the code and LED behavior as needed for their routine. I kept the microcontroller accessible in the pocket for uploading code, which also housed the well protected power source – a rechargeable 3.7V 1200mAh LiPo battery.
Will it Survive the Performance Test?
Once the wiring of the suits were completed, the dancers went through rehearsals wearing the initial prototypes. Our team patched up loose connections and design issues as they came along and compiled a list of common troubleshooting issues and solutions for the SFD team.
A Dance To Remember
Our work emphasized the transformative power of technology to amplify self-expression and creativity. By prioritizing a design that adapted to the dancers’ artistry, we ensured that their powerful choreography remained unhindered by the wearable LED system. This collaboration, showcased at the Women in Tech Global Summit, underscored STEM From Dance’s mission: to inspire and empower through the fusion of technology and creative expression, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and individuality in the arts.