There’s a market for “smart” everything, from watches to fridges. Now, smart clothing is being developed to assist people in their daily activities, including exercising, shopping and even transportation. Fashion and technology are being integrated in ways that we never could have imagined. From jeans that help you navigate to a jacket that controls the music you’re listening to, here are some of the most interesting and bizarre innovations in smart clothing. Move over, Google Glass and Apple Watches.
Spinali Essential Vibrating Jeans
Price: $98–$107 (shorts $87)
Spinali has designed jeans with two vibrating sensors on the belt which connect to smartphones through Bluetooth. These jeans have a geolocation feature which causes the left or the right side sensors to vibrate, indicating which way to go. The sensors can be used for a variety of functions, such as to reminding you when you’re running late or letting you know you’ve received an email. This way, you won't be late to class or get lost on the way. To conserve battery, the jeans stay in sleep mode until you put them on and will also remain in sleep mode in the wash. If the jeans are worn approximately once a week, the battery can last four years.
Number of Wharton Behavioral Labs to Pay for 'em: 10
Price: $79.99
These leggings are designed to make it easier to find jeans your size, so when you're online shopping during class, you can make sure that the clothes you order will actually fit without having to try them on. Likeaglove Leggings have sensors in them and transmit information about your body to an app via Bluetooth. The app then uses that information to search through a clothing database and find sizes, styles and brands that will fit you and connect you to the retailer that sells the perfect jeans. It also collects information about your measurements over time and allows you to see how your body shape changes. The leggings are said to be one–size–fits–all and can fit sizes 0–24.
Number of Wharton Behavioral Labs to Pay for 'em: 8
Price: $56–91
Wair has made scarves with triple–layer filters to protect wearers from the effects of air pollution, which can be useful whether you're on campus, in Center City or taking a trip to New York. The scarf also connects to the SUPAIRMAN app, which can provide information on air quality and inform users about areas that are less polluted. The app will also remind users to change the filter, which must be done every one to two months.
Number of Wharton Behavioral Labs to Pay for 'em: ~7
Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket X Jacquard
Price: TBA
This jacket, set for release later this year, was the result of a collaboration between denim company Levi Strauss and Google’s Advanced Technology and Products’ Project Jacquard. The goal is to make cyclists’ lives easier (while also looking cool). A strip of touch–sensitive material made from conductive thread on the left cuff allows wearers to interact with their smartphone, which is especially useful when biking to class across campus. You can tap, touch or swipe the material to do everything from answering calls to changing music tracks to getting navigation information, all without ever having to take out your phone. The jacket connects to smartphones through a tag that charges through USB (it needs to be charged every few days). The jacket is washable once the tag is removed. Users can also customize what movements (taps, swipes, etc.) correspond to which functions through the related app, making it easier for everyone to use.
