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WORTH Partnership Project
News article5 July 2018European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency

FIRST CALL PARTNERSHIP INTERVIEW: MAURIN DONNEAUD + KOBAKANT

FRANCE + GERMANY, 2017

FIRST CALL PARTNERSHIP INTERVIEW: MAURIN DONNEAUD + KOBAKANT

Through the WORTH Partnership Project 1st Call, the winning collaboration was formed between Maurin Donneaud, a specialist in the interaction between design and physical computing, developing projects that incorporate both crafts and technology. He has paired up with Kobakant, who explore the use of textile crafts and electronics as a medium that responds to todays ‘high-tech’ society.

The duo is developing a concept that will incorporate LED lighting connections between soft circuitry and optic fibres. We interviewed the pair to find out more about their fascinating concept and how they see the future of technology and electronics merging with textiles.

What type of products do you see your LED lighting connection design used for?

Maurin Donneaud: I like the idea of textile Art, such as the work of Sheila Hicks, who has done a lot research and experimentation. Also some more common textiles that have been sold as textile products for furnishing. This is an inspiration that I really want to follow with Alice Heit.

Kobakant: We are not particularly focused on enabling products with our design, rather we are more broadly interested in facilitating the realization of unique ideas made by individual crafters and DIY makers as well as learning experiences by students and novices.

In your opinion why does connectivity between electronics and textile need to improve?

Maurin Donneaud: The question of connectivity is the centre of our practice and the relevant solutions are always related to many parameters of the project. In our project, the solution we work on is led by the idea of creating a technology that is accessible to crafters who work with hand tools.

Kobakant: Our project is not trying to solve connectivity between electronics and textile, but between textiles, electronics and fiber optics. This connection is currently not solved for our target audience and as with making any technology accessible to people, we expect the community to create the value by engaging with the technology. Using it to build things they need and want to see in the world, by using it to express themselves and have fun.

What do you think the future trends are in textile technologies?

Maurin Donneaud: The trend for the future is the integration of digital technologies within fiber and textile manufacturing processes. Today solutions for integrating electronics into textiles will tomorrow be fully immaterialized in fiber and flexible materials. We can say that the integration of electronics into textile is the stone age of e-Textiles but the material evolution must not close off access to technology. Through documenting and technical choices, we promote technologies that can still be open to people who want them.

Kobakant: Smaller, softer, more integrated in the textile… but also potentially more harmful to the environment because the technology gets pushed to the market as fast as possible without consideration for the consequences. It will be great if the trend becomes rather local and small-scale production with environmentally and socially sustainable practices. But for this, both the participants of the field (textile technologies), policy makers and consumers have to re-think how we develop, produce and consume textile technologies.

Discover more about Maurin Donneaud + Kobakant project idea here

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News Type
Worth News