Low-Cost Wearable Human-Computer Interface with Conductive Fabric for STEAM Education

Abstract

There has been growing popularity in do-it-yourself (DIY) electronics for wearable computing and human-machine interaction. This has introduced exciting opportunities to promote science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education that highlights the intersection of electronics, materials, and artistic expression. Here, we present a systematic guide to a low-cost (<;$10 per student) outreach workshop on wearable electronics for middle school students (and potentially high school students with minor modifications) that is complementary to existing STEM outreach programs. In this workshop, students use basic craft skills to fabricate a wearable human-computer interface out of commercially available materials. The device is interfaced with a computer via open-source hardware and software, using the universal serial bus (USB) human interface device (HID) protocol. The workshop exposes students to wearable technologies, a rapidly growing and exciting sub-domain of the electronics industry, and provides a fun and engaging hands-on activity that draws connections between fashion, technology, and personal electronics.