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Become your favorite video game character with 3d printing and diy electronics from Adafruit
In this project we’re adding sewable NeoPixels
and GEMMA to a bodysuit to make a light up Cortana costume.
Get the parts for this project on the shop at Adafruit dot com.
You can lay out the design and the placement of the components using pins.
A body form is a must for getting things in the right place on stretchy fabric.
Any time you need to cross wires, use silicone-coated wire instead of conductive thread.
Check out the guide on the adafruit learning system for a circuit diagram and full tutorial.
Attach the gemma and neopixel ring to the bodysuit using plain cotton thread.
The rest of the pixels are sewn carefully using conductive thread, which connect together into a chain.
Each pixel passes the control signal to the next, while they all share power and ground connections.
Stitching on stretchy fabric can be very challenging.
Be sure to stretch the fabric while you sew so the thread doesn’t end up too tight, or it might tear the fabric.
Program the gemma microcontroller using our arduino libraries and demo sketch.
To get extra details, we’ll trace artwork from reference photos. We’ll format the artwork and make a stencil that we can 3d print.
You can make large stencils using the lulzbot TAZ4 with PLA filament.
Mark up the NeoPixels on the unitard and mockup the placement of the artwork using the stencil.
Lay the stencil over the unitard and secure the stencil on top using painters tape.
A light coat of black spray paint makes the details stand out.
The blue unitard is worn over the bodysuit and can be stretched and adjusted to line up with painted artwork.
What awesome wearable electronics costume will you make this year? Let us know in the comments below
If you’re interested in more wearable electronic projects, check out these over here.
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