Dr. Lee Jones from iStudio Lab presented her innovative research on Hand-Spinning E-Textiles at the TierA Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI) conference, held at IT-Universitetet in Copenhagen, Denmark. This research explores the intersection of traditional hand-spinning techniques and emerging e-textile crafting, providing a fresh perspective on the possibilities of interactive textiles.
The project, which draws from the material turn in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), aims to understand how hand spinners can combine local materials with conductive fibers to create their own custom interactive textiles.
Through a two-part study involving interviews with 32 hand spinners and workshops with six participants from a local spinning guild, the team gathered insights into the challenges and opportunities of blending hand-spun and e-textile techniques. The research highlights the need for better tools and information to support these DIY practices, empowering makers to craft functional and aesthetically rich e-textile projects.
This work not only expands the boundaries of material crafting in the HCI field, but also opens new doors for design innovation.
We invite you to explore the full open-access paper here and extend our congratulations to Dr. Lee Jones, Dr. Sara Nabil, and the iStudio Lab team for their contribution to this exciting field of study.