BioTech Couture

A collaborative design initiative bringing together the minds of biomedical engineers and industrial designers and combining our unique skill sets to lead the overall creative direction.

By integrating biosensor technology in a novel way with high fashion, we aim to propel innovation that will bridge the gap between art and the future of health technology.

It started as a class project...

and evolved into something much bigger.

SCOPE

TEAM

2 Biomedical Engineers

2 Industrial Designers

10 months

DELIVERABLES

GOAL

4 couture dresses with integrated biosensors

24 3D printed sculptural jewelry pieces

Spark conversations about the intersection between design and engineering and ideate beyond the typical constraints of wearable biosensor technology.

In Spring 2021, Mariam Hasan (VT BME '22) and I took an elective called "Wearable Bioinstrumentation." Our final project was to fabricate something physical with a biofeedback sensor. We decided to combine our love for fashion with our interest in biosensing wearables by creating a dress with fiber optic lights that would pulse with the wearer's heart rate.

We couldn't stop there. We brought RJ Weaver (VT ID '22) and Minakshi Seth (VT ID '22) onto our team and decided to breathe life into the dream of creating our first fashion show- BioTech Couture.

My Roles

PHASE I.

Defining Scope

grant co-writer

sketching and ideating

planning logistics and budget

PHASE II.

Prototyping

lead programmer

lead circuit designer

water collection design lead

seamstress and pattern drafter

PHASE III.

Execution

show co-director

public relations coordinator

PHASE I.

Defining Scope

1 / Choosing a conceptual theme

We chose to create 4 separate design collections centered around the 4 natural elements- fire, water, earth, and air.
Each collection would have one main dress with a biosensor along with 6 3D printed jewelry pieces designed in VR.

2 / Choosing sensors

FIRE: photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor measuring heart rate to control electroluminescent wires sewn on the dress
WATER: electroencephalography sensors (EEG) measuring brain waves to control a thermoformed acrylic headpiece
EARTH: electromyography (EMG) sensors measuring muscle movement to control shoulder pieces
AIR: respiration sensor measuring breath rate to control LED lights sewn into the skirt

3 / Applying for grants

We spent majority of the first semester ideating and applying for funding which we received from the following sources:

Roger and Debbie West Student Grant // Virginia Tech Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT)
- Total awarded: $1,000
Honors Enrichment Grant // Virginia Tech Honors College
- Total awarded: $2,250
Biomedical Engineering Student Grant // VT Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
- Total awarded: $1,000

Initial sketches and watercolor paintings from my sketchbooks.

PHASE II.

Prototyping

1 / Sensor Prototyping

As the lead programmer/circuit designer, I spent a lot of time playing with the various sensors and prototyping solutions that could be integrated into the dresses.
As the lead designer for the Water Collection, I independently conducted research to understand brain-computer interfaces. I also provided coding, electrical assistance, and fabrication aid to my teammates with the PPG, EMG, and respiration sensors.

I used a Muse headband to monitor the electroencephalography (EEG) activity of the model. The raw brain wave data was streamed to a laptop and I used a Python script to break down the raw data into different frequency bands. I chose to specifically look at beta frequency levels, which are oftentimes associated with levels of concentration. At the final dress rehearsal, the model’s EEG data was recorded and analyzed to determine her baseline values and her average range of concentration based on the frequency levels. These values were then mapped to a servo motor and used to control the position of the acrylic headpiece.

I worked on all of the coding, circuit designing, and prototyping independently for this dress

Fig 1. Early prototype showing servo movement based on brain activity

Fig 2. During the prototyping stage, I figured out a way to control a LED light based on my level of concentration!

A photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor uses a light source and a photodetector to optically monitor the changes in blood volume noninvasively. A small sensor is cased within the model’s handpiece to capture her heart rate. The sensor’s photodetector monitors how much light is transmitted or reflected and an Arduino code is used to compute the model’s heart rate, which is then used to pulse the electroluminescent (EL) wire.

For this dress, I helped Mariam Hasan write the code to compute the heart rate and to pulse the EL wire.

Fig 1. Simple circuit diagram that Mariam and I created.

Microcontroller= Adafruit Flora

LED= Adafruit Neopixel

PPG Sensor = Pulse Sensor Amped

Fig 2. Heart rate fiber optic cable dress that we made as a team in Fall 2021 as a prototype. Modeled by Mariam Hasan.

A Myoware electromyography (EEG) sensor was used to monitor the model’s muscle activity. When a muscle is flexed, there is a small change in electrical activity, which can be picked up through surface EMG electrodes. An Arduino code was written to map these voltage changes to servo motors that would flutter the shoulder pieces in response to the model’s bicep flexing.

For this dress, I prototyped and wrote the code that used the muscle electrical activity ouput from the EMG sensors to control the motors

Fig 1. Video showing how I could control servo position when flexing my calf muscle

Fig 2. We used the MyoWare Muscle Sensor which we attached directly to the model's skin during the show. (image from Adafruit product description)

A respiration sensor was used to monitor the model’s breath rate. To construct the sensor, a conductive rubber cord was sewn into a belt connected to an Arduino and worn around the model’s waist. When the diaphragm expanded, the rubber cord would stretch with the belt. The increase in length results in a change in resistance, which was registered by changing analog values. We recorded the model's average breathing threshold to create a range of values that would then control the fading lights. Neopixels were chained together and sewn to an underskirt below the tulle and inhaling deeply would light up all of the Neopixels to full brightness.

For this dress, I fabricated the sensor and wrote the Arduino code that controlled the fading lights

Fig 1. I sewed a conductive rubber cord to an elastic waistband so the model could wear it as a belt under her dress. (Image is Adafruit product reference picture)

Fig 2. Prototyping various colors for the Neopixels and brightness intensity beneath several layers of tulle.

Fig 3. Final dress fully lit at the fashion show.

2/ Constructing the 'Water' dress

The process of creating my main dress for the water collection took several months. I started by using my dress form to drape a pattern, created several muslins that I fit on my model, made several iterations using test fabric, and finally made the final dress with fabric I had found in NYC.

2/ Constructing the headpiece

I created the halo by laser cutting an acrylic sheet into an arched shape, and then thermoforming the acrylic with the help of a heat gun and pliers. A second piece of acrylic was thermoformed to fit around the model’s neck like a collar, and servos and ball bearings were assembled in the back.

Fig 1. Applying heat to the acrylic created an amazing water-like texture! I had a lot of fun sculpting the plastic with pliers to create "drops" and "splashes"

Fig 2. RJ helped me create brackets to screw the motors into the headpiece. Unfortunately, the whole thing broke the night before the show! I pulled an all-nighter and thankfully got it to work with an hour to spare before my model walked down the runway!

Fig 3. I made a TikTok showing the process of creating the headpiece.

3 / Co-directing responsibilities

We worked with the new Virginia Tech Creativity and Innovation District (CID) and the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) to find the perfect venue in the new performance hall. ICAT sponsored our show and advertised BioTech Couture as the kickoff event for their annual ICAT day.
We hosted model recruitment events and several workshops to teach the models how to walk down the catwalk.
Our team of 4 collaborated equally to act as venue coordinators, audio/visual directors, and final show directors. I also took on the role of PR manager, created the ticketing platform, and managed all communication with show attendees.