After the perfect top to wear to your next party? Auckland University of Technology student Matt Martin might be able to help you out with his “Wearable Beacon” T-shirt, which uses a combination of electronic devices to detect and respond to the presence of wireless signals, include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The shirt was constructed for his Masters of Creative Technologies project, and uses an Arudino Mega, a pair of lithium polymer batteries and 31 NeoPixel strips — or over 1000 light emitting diodes, for those keeping count at home.
Martin writes a bit about his flashy fashion item on his blog, being sure to mention that all the lights had to be sewn by hand.
The video above shows him trolling various public spaces around Auckland. While he doesn’t get much attention, a few people did ask him about the shirt’s purpose… and to make sure he wasn’t some sort of Kiwi Cylon.
Photos: Matt Martin