HearWear

:: About :: Gallery :: How It Works :: Exhibitions & Conferences :: Technology :: Contact Us

HearWear is an electronic wearable, which is not only a fashion apparel but also reacts to environmental sound with moving light patterns.

HearWear: The Fashion of Environmental Noise Disply is a collaborative project by Younghui Kim and Milena Iossifova Berry. They have been working together since they teamed up during summer of 2003.

[ Current News ]

02/21 - 02/22/2008
Younghui's new interactive fashion technology project, "Stir It On!" was selected to participate in "Social Fabrics" exhibition at College Arts Association Annual Conference, Dallas, TX. Learm more about her on going projects here.

05/19 - 05/22/2006
HearWear Version 2.2 Pink LED bag will be featured in FutureFashionEvent, Viaggio Telecom 2006 in Pisa, Italy

05/01 - 12/04/2006
HearWear Version 2.1 Luminex skirt is being displayed at the exhibition, "These Are Textiles? Innovation in modern fabric design, manufacture, and use" New England Economic Adventure at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Oct 13th, 2006
HearWear projects were invited to participate in the main exhibition, "Future Life" at Gwangju Interanational Design Biennale 2005 (Oct 13 - Nov 3) in Korea

more >>

right: photograph by Marc Antony Vose

[ Project Description ]

HearWear: The Fashion of Environmental Noise Display is a wearable visual reflection of your auditory surroundings. It perceives sound levels and uses a scale of lights to reflect amplitude in clothing or accessories. The level of light depends on the level of sound; the louder it is, the more your apparel lights up.

HearWear version 1.0 is a skirt reacting to environmental noise. As an everyday apparel, it becomes your lifestyle with its comfort and convenience. On top of that, it enables you to express your experience of the noise levels in the area you pass through.

HearWear perceives and qualifies its noise perception with beautiful light patterns. Colorful light expresses mundane noise visually and alarmingly. It is a city ear painting subtle LED patterns.

The electronics are seamlessly integrated in the wearable design - the sound-detecting sensor is subtle and unnoticeable, and the LEDs and electro-illuminating wire are embroidered in the transluscent textile. The developed system can be applied to any wearable items - be it skirt, bags, T-shirts, jackets, pants and belts.

Left: Photograph by Kate Kunath