Ping Hoody Makes Facebook Fashionable

by Ben Deitz on April 22, 2010 at 03:05 PM

Jennifer Darmour, a Seattle based designer, has designed the perfect piece of e-apparel for the fashionably conscious Facebook obsessive.

The Ping hoody, which looks a bit like a Jedi robe, uses intuitive, natural actions to both provide Facebook alerts and allow the wearer to respond accordingly. For instance, the hoody "taps" the wearer on the shoulder to indicate that a comment has been left on the wearer's online profile. The tapping feedback can be customized, allowing users to assign different tapping methods to different Facebook friends. After receiving a request or alert, the wearer can respond through various actions, such as tying the Ping's waist bow, putting on the hood and closing the zipper.

The Ping works by incorporating Arduino's Lilypad Xbee, a micro controller board specifically designed to be used with textiles. The Lilypad, along with sewn-in sensors, allows wireless communication between the hoody and Facebook. The circuit wiring has been exposed, keeping with the aesthetic design of the hoody.

While using the hoody for constant Facebook connectivity seems a little extreme, we imagine the Ping could be made to work with a variety of electronics. Starting the coffee machine in the morning with a flick of the wrist could be as close to having the Force as you're likely to get. [From: Newlaunches, via: Designlaunches]