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I am a textile designer working in the area of light-emitting textiles. My research interest focuses on the exploration of new aesthetics within cloth investigating the visual effects of movement using light as a continuous, time-based medium. The exhibited artefacts use PMMA optical fibre technology in braided structures, activated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and using a microcontroller as an interface to realize novel, light-emitting textiles.Rhythm exercise is a part of the research for my doctoral thesis which investigates the following research question: What does it mean, if time and change – constant movement – become part of the textile design expression? The research question has been investigated in a number of experiments which explore the visual effects of movement by using light integrated into textile structures as a medium. Thereby, the textile design pattern reveals its composition, not in one moment of time any more, but in fact over time. My practice based research work aims to create time-based textiles with an emphasis on developing aesthetics of movement – or to establish movement as an aesthetic moment in textile design. (Jansen, 2013)ContextWith the beginning of the era of Smart Textiles, the textile designer is challenged with a range of materials which are characterized by their ability to change expressional and functional properties. These materials respond to environmental stimuli, user interaction and pre-programmed parameters and visualize their responses to the viewer. They open up opportunities to explore new material behaviours and designing with novel and complex aesthetics (Berzina, 2011, Krogh, N.D., Layne, N.D., Taylor, 2010, Wingfield, N.D.). The availability of these new materials changes the conditions of conventional textile design; a textile pattern expression is no longer static, it once had one face, one gestalt or expression, whereas now it can show different expressions, a definite or indefinite number of times. (Jansen, 2013, page 7)InstallationRhythm exercise is an installation based on eight braided structures, displayed in three steel frames. The current exhibition displays parts of this installation. The three-dimensional braided artefacts are each based on thirteen lengths of optical fibres. They are lit by LEDs and programmed to create moving patterns of white light using a microcontroller digital interface. They have been designed to show different qualities of lighting interplay using varying rhythms and speeds.The different braids are created in identical braiding structures and with equal amount of lengths of optical fibres, thirteen per braid. The braided structures have, however, been connected to different numbers of LEDs; braid one has been connected to one light source, braids two to five have been connected to two light sources per braid and, finally, braids six to eight to thirteen light sources per braid. This allows displaying an increasing complexity of moving light patterns inside the braided structures. The installation shows a glimpse of new design possibilities and the potential for creative explorations in the field of light-emitting textiles. Sponsorship:The Swedish School of Textiles and Smart Textiles Initiative at the University of Boras

The work presented in this thesis investigates through practice a new field of textile design exploring the visual effects of moving light as a continuous time-based medium. Thereby, the textile design pattern reveals its composition, not in one moment of time any more, but in fact over time. The thesis consist of four parts: a solo exhibition at the Textile Museum in Borås from 17th February- 28th March 2015, five posters, an interactive thesis including 48 films (download file) and present thesis book. The artefacts displayed in the thesis show a varying range of examples which explore aesthetical possibilities of how light can be integrated as an active part into textile structures, ranging from weaving to braiding techniques, both hand crafted, as well as industrial produced. Thereby three main groups of experiments: colour flow, rhythm exercise, sound_light experiment explore and discuss a range of different time-based expressions. Thus define and establish relevant new design variables and notions, whilst working with time-based design processes. In the following descriptions of these experiments two forms of writing have been used to describe the experiments. One is purely descriptive, neutral form to describe the experiments as such, whereas text titled Research Diary Notes includes reflections and personal comments on the experiences during work on the experiments. The interactive thesis and the exhibited artefacts are an invitation to view new textiles expressions and are an initial guide on the road toward future time-based design works, particularly in the area of light emitting textiles. Disputationen sker den 17:e mars 2015, kl. 10-12 i Textilmuséet, Textilhögskolan, Skaraborgsvägen 3, Borås. Opponent: Dr Nithikul Nimkulrat, Professor i textildesign, Head of Department of Textile Design, Estonian Academy of Arts.Disputationen genomförs på engelska.

What happens if light transforms into an integrated active part of a textile surface?The field of Smart Textiles is characterized by the use of a new generation of materials, which no longer have static expressions. They change their performance and expression in a given context through outer stimuli, introducing new dimensions in design and generating a change in design practice.This paper discusses examples of light emitting textile design research, which explore aesthetic-, functional, and conceptual opportunities of PMMA optical fibres in textile applications.The outcome is a range of samples which explore how materials and different textile structures affect light intensity and quality, how to achieve patterns incorporating lighting and not lighting, and 3dimensional lighting surfaces. Light emitting models also stand for visualisation of different concept ideas; incorporating the use of sunlight as a renewable energy source or for dynamic lighting.Keywords: textile design, Smart Textiles, dynamic light, PMMA optical fibres

Light textiles Is a research work which focuses on the development of lighttextiles based on the integration of optical fibres into textile structures. The aimis to create textile light designs which offer big light surfaces that have an evenall over and strong light effect. Finally they could be used as big movable lightscreens in a space either private or public. Diploma Textile Designer, Master student, The Swedish School of Textiles, THS.