QR Codes + Media Playing in Videos
The construction of the buttons
From left to right: felt, conductive fabric, Velostat, and a cushion. Not shown: Insulated multi-strand wire.
Through the correct layering of the materials, a soft circuit can be constructed. The felt fabric acts as a resistive material that insulates the circuit. The conductive material and Velostat are used to create a capacitive circuit that can be programmed to respond to varying degrees of touch.
Step one: Cut out felt in the desired size. Then lay two separate pieces of conductive fabric onto the felt and iron into place.
Step two: Strip one end of wire and secure it directly to the conductive fabric with gaffer tape. Ensure to press the tape down firmly to secure a strong connection to the conductive fabric.
Step three: Hot glue a piece of velostat that is larger than the piece of conductive fabric to one side of the button. Repeat on the other side.
Step four: Build up layers of non-conductive fabric (felt) around the outside of the velostat by hot gluing the edges. I've also placed a small piece in the middle of the button to ensure that the circuit does not engage when unintended.
Step five: Glue the edges of the button close and firmly press to ensure that the fabric is under tension. This is important as if there is laxity in the fabric the circuit may not function as intended. Finally, I had placed a piece of velcro on the button to assist with securing into place.
Media Switch Diagram
Setting up the work in progress
Created for INTM-4001 Media Installation Dec 2022