XbyY
October 2019 - February 2020
A startup idea that focused on the wearable technology market, specifically looking at jackets. There were several key aims for the jacket we wanted to produce, these included:
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Integrated wireless pocket charging for your phone
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A line of modular jacket parts that would allow the user to personalise and upgrade their jacket’s aesthetic and technology
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A unisex design for the modern user
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A sustainable initiative hosted by the company to ensure that as much of the jackets can be reused/recycled as possible when they reach their end of life
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Logo ideas and tests. We loved the idea of integrating the two letters together due to their similar shape, to create a simple one symbol logo
I focused on R&D of the garment, including sourcing materials, prototyping, researching current/future smart clothing technology and studying clothing trends.
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We explored different styles of jacket, looked at several types of fastenings for the modular sections, researched the technology that would make our hi-tech visions possible.
There was a lot of learning,
A sketch illustrating how we planned to implement the pocket charging feature into our jacket using what we had available at hand. This involved a Qi charger, a couple of cables and a small portable charger all embedded within the coat, they were attached so that the components were not visible and didn't affect the feel of the jacket when worn.
prototyping
We created a demo prototype from an existing coat and implemented Qi charging to allow the phone to immediately start charging wirelessly when inserted into a pocket as shown here.
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To showcase this feature I replaced the original pocket with clear PVC, turns out I actually liked how it looked.
A second prototype was started from scratch and featured a customised pocket to meet the requirements for wireless charging to work.
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I used an existing mens jacket pattern to base the prototype on but altered the front panels to create an asymmetrical zipper opening.
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My partner and I also met with contacts in the tech and startup industry to gain mentors and seek investment.