What type of fabric will be used to construct the vest?
I will be using cordura to construct the outter shell of the vest, polyester to for the lining and Insulbrite for the insulation layer.
Will the vest be insulated? If so what will you use for insulation?
Yes the vest will be insulated. The thought behind adding insulation was to create better heat retention for the user.
What will be used as the heating element?
Two 5cm x 10cm heating pads will be the heating element of choice
Where is the best location to place the electric components?
For the heating pads the back is the best location. I based this decision on research and observing the location of other on the market heated garments. When it comes to the two thermistors and main board I placed them both on the right side of the vest. The thermistor that reads the users body temp will be placed inside the vest close to the heart. The thermistor reading outside temperature will be placed on the outside of the shell and the mainboard will be placed on the inside of the vest.
Will the electronics be exposed?
No, I want to create a piece of clothing that has some “magic” to it. Keeping the electronics hidden is a great way to achieve this.
How does conductive thread work?
Similar to connecting wire, conductive thread creates an electric connection between two components. Conductive threads work best with circuits that have sewable tabs.
How will I insulate the conductive thread to prevent short circuits?
I will be using fabric glue to insulate the conductive thread
What is the function and features of the garment I am trying to make?
The main function of the garment is to regulate your temperature. Using heating pads and temperature sensors, the vest will heat you up if your temperature drops below optimal temp.
What are my limits?
My limits come from not having any experience in creating a garment from scratch. There are many rules and techniques used when creating a garment from cut and sew. Adding electronics on top of this created a large learning curve.
How durable does the project need to be? (is it a one time show piece or a multi –use piece?)
Seeing that this is a prototype for future iteration I want this version to be as durable as possible. When construction the garment I will be using methods to keep things in place and multi-use.
Will it be easy to access any switches, batteries, or sensors?
The battery will be easily accessible. The battery will be place in the right front pocket.
Operating Power and Amps per hour?
Both heating pads operate at 5V DC and ~600mA. I will be using a 3.7V 1A battery at the moment. I do plan to upgrade the power source once everything is constructed.
