March 16, 2006
Ars Electronica Winning Project 2005: [the next idea]
USED Clothing
Clothes are an expression of an individual’s identity. The way a person dresses is almost always directly connected to his/her lifestyle, worldview and self-image. “OK, then why not use clothing even more intensely as a medium?” mused Martin Mairinger. And the Linz native proceeded to create USED Clothing, a concept for furnishing clothes with additional information.
A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip to which the wearer can save information about himself/herself is sewn into each garment. When the item of clothing—for instance, a jacket, pair of pants or T-shirt—is sold at a special second-hand shop, the buyer can access this information online and find out about the garment’s past.
The interests and personal philosophy of individuals with a preference for the same type of clothing often resemble one another. Accordingly, the second-hand interface node just might yield interesting hookups. The project’s long-term concept envisions the establishment of a community of registered users who take advantage of the second-hand shop’s offerings not only to acquire clothing but also to establish social contacts within the network of human beings connected to the shop.
Honorary Mentions
ætherspace
knouf nick (US)
zeitkunst.org/projects/aetherspace
Maschine_Mensch
Zucali Tobias, Christopher Rhomberg (AT)
[blogged by Regine on Twenty1F]
Posted by jo at March 16, 2006 11:48 AM
