LEDs are a go-to when it comes to wearable electronics projects. Everyone loves to wear a splash of light now and then. But how might you design dynamic wearable lighting effects for a professional on-stage performance? How could the circuitry be made robust enough to survive bodies of sweaty dancers and the wear and tear of multiple shows? What if many wearables worn by multiple performers could be controlled to each display synchronized but unique patterns by the same software that operates the stage lighting?
In this article, published in Make Magazine: Volume 94, we show how to make your own network-controlled costume(s) using off-the-shelf components, 3D printing, and just a little bit of tape. The system utilizes your home WiFi to connect the control software to your costume(s) and customize the lighting effects in real time.
This system is based on networked LED costume elements that Social Body Lab developed for Tapestry Opera’s production “R.U.R. A Torrent of Light”, where the wearables were worn by opera singers and dancers playing the role of robots. The version described in this article uses a simplified interface created in Processing that sends data via the ArtNet protocol. ArtNet is an open protocol that allows large amounts of DMX data to be sent over a standard wired or wireless network. In this project, it is used to create a robust, but simple communication protocol between the controller and the hardware that does not require specialized hardware interfaces or cables. The controller interface is designed to allow you to quickly and easily design a range of lighting effects which are then wirelessly communicated to each wearable device.
