Maggie Orth
Art, Technology, Design

Pile Blocks, 2008

Media: Hand-woven cotton, rayon, conductive yarns, silver ink, thermochromic ink, drive electronics and software. 62" x 54" x 8".

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Pile Blocks is an interactive textile touch sensor and light artwork which continues Maggie's investigation into the perceptual properties of electronic textiles. When a viewer touches the woven pile sensor-squares (the gray conductive areas), light is transmitted through the woven textile revealing the hidden color and patterns on teh bakc of teh double weave. Touching the different pile sensors creates different animated light patterns. Patterns interact with each other like ripples in a pond.

A single piece of fabric combining both double weave and pile textile structures creates the conductive sensors and light transmitting effects. When white LED light passes through the double weave fabric, the colored weaving on the back is revealed. Software explores a variety of regular patterns and randomly generated sequences.

Media: Conductive yarn, cotton yarn, LEDs, custom drive electronics and expressive software. 56.5"h x 27"w x 2.5"d.

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