So, Project Jacquard straight out of Google’s ATAP lab (Advanced Technology and Projects laboratory) has actually made all of the situations that I just mentioned possible. Project Jacquard by Google weaves new digital experiences into the things you love, wear, and use every day to give you the power to do more.
Jacquard is a small tag that gets embedded in the familiar objects like a jacket, a shoe or a backpack and enhances them, enhances these objects with new digital abilities and experiences. These objects have conductive threads which interact with the Jacquard Tag.
The discreet Jacquard Tag connects the physical things to digital services and information. It is connected via Bluetooth and communicates with the Jacquard app. The Levi’s famous Trucker Jacket is incorporated with the latest Jacquard Technology. The interactive left cuf of the jacket lets you answer calls, play music, take photos and much more by simple touch gestures like tapping and swiping. My favorite feature, the left cuff lights up and vibrates if you leave your phone behind.
If you are a footballer, then this technology is boon for you. Powered by the Jacquard Tag’s advanced machine-learning algorithms, adidas GMR shoe measures kicks, shot power, distance and speed. Similarly, the left strap of the Yves Saint-Laurent Backpack, integrated with the Jacquard technology, can enable you to control music, take pictures, and do many more things with simple touch gestures.
The best part is that the same Jacquard Tag can power different products. It has to be simply plugged into a different Jacquard compatible product and it will reconfigure itself and activate the new item in no time. The tag is lightweight and compact – about half the size of a pack of gum. The tag is designed to withstand light water splashing but it cannot be washed. The tag has to be removed before the washing of any Jacquard item.
