The paper outlines a detailed process and system designed to convert physical Jacquard punched cards into digital code. This process not only preserves the intricate and historical weaving patterns encoded in these cards but also enables their use in modern, computer-controlled Jacquard looms. The system uses advanced image processing techniques to accurately read and digitize the patterns from old, often worn-out cards, thus ensuring that traditional designs can be seamlessly integrated into contemporary textile production workflows.
Project Jacquard is yet another project that Google ATAP is pumping out of the wood works. Project Jacquard is making it possible to turn our everyday clothing into another device.
It does so by weaving the newly created conductive yarns that were created in collaboration with Google ATAP's industrial partners. Jacquard yarn structure is a combination of thin metallic alloys with natural and synthetic yarns like cotton, polyester, and silk. This makes the yarn strong enough to be woven on any industrial loom.
Thanks to the metallic alloys, the clothing can recognize things like touch and carry out gesture interactivity. The best part is that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between regular yarn produced today and Jacquard yarn.
Ivan Poupyrev, Project Jacquard's Founder, explains the thought process as to why they started Project Jacquard.
"What I find fascinating about textiles, is that the structure of textiles is the same as the structure of touch screens which we use in everyday mobile devices and tablets. That means, that if you just replace some of the threads in textiles with conductive threads, you should be able to weave a textile which can recognize a variety of simple touch gestures. Just like any normal touch panel you have in a mobile phone."
Well known Japanese Artist, Bio Designer, and now Developer and Partner Lead for Google ATAP Project Jacquard, Shiho Fukuhara explains how interested and excited the Designing world is to use the new material since it's very rare for something this different, yet simple, to come out.
Fukuhara says,"...It's something you are very familiar with, it's just textile."
"We work with textile designers from all over the world and it's really interesting to see what kind of possibilities we can have."
Carsten Schwesig, Design Lead at Project Jacquard, said, "software development and fashion design often don't exist in the same place. We're hoping to make it very simple for each of those parties to collaborate and we're hoping to provide both software and hardware knowledge and components to make those collaborations very easy."
It looks like Project Jacquard is taking the first step forward towards seamlessly integrating our clothing, furniture, and whatever else has textiles within it to become yet another tool in our nearfuture.
The questions now are how will we use this new step forward and are we ready to make the seemingly effortless switch to it.