Gaming gloves and a hugging shirt – Aalto researchers held a smart wearables workshop for Chilean students

As a part of the Finland-Chile joint training program in smart wearables, supported by the Team Finland Knowledge Program, Professor Yu Xiao and four other Aalto researchers (Emmi Pouta, Tim Moesgen, Sofia Guridi and Ramyah Gowrishankar) conducted a comprehensive workshop on smart wearables at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PUC) from 14 to 18 October. The aim of the workshop was to teach students both design and engineering skills by learning about smart textiles and producing a project related to them. Professor Xiao and her research team also teach two courses on smart wearables at Aalto University.

The workshop included lectures and tutorials focusing on the fundamentals of electrical textiles, Arduino programming, and machine learning. More than 30 students actively participated in the workshop, with 10 student groups showcasing intriguing prototypes such as an e-textile-based dancing carpet, gaming gloves, and a hugging shirt. This successful collaboration with PUC marks an important step in strengthening future partnerships in the field of design and innovation for smart wearables.

Watch the student project videos