Google Data Is The New Black With Connected Clothing

Imagine if sneakers and any clothing surface were intuitive spaces that Google or any search engine could tap into. Imagine no more, because it already exists.

Jacquard by Google is striving to streamline digital life by turning ordinary items into innate interfaces. Google’s connected garment technology is looking to advance digital services when traditional mobile devices — like smartphones or watches — are not available for use, for whatever reason. 

Google started a series of research projects to explore how the technology powering Jacquard could be used to help people with disabilities lead more independent and productive lives.

“A connected jacket with woven Jacquard technology lets people connect to their smartphone and use simple gestures to trigger functions from the Jacquard app,” Google ATAP Head of Design Leonardo Giusti wrote in a recent blog post. 

“With this interactivity and connectivity built in, you can tap your sleeve to hear directions to your next destination or brush your cuff to change the song playing on your compatible music service. Jacquard technology works for phones running Android 6.0.1 or newer and iOS 11 or newer,” Giusti said.

As part of its research, Google worked with Champions Place, a shared living residence for young adults with disabilities in the greater Atlanta area. Residents there were able to use the jacket and let the Googler team know how it could be more useful.

Google and Levi teamed on tech-enabled clothing in 2019 and their newest collaboration offers different versions of Levi’s Trucker Jacket that are Jacquard-enabled. 

The market for smart clothing is growing and evolving as companies of all sizes move to tap one of the hottest segments. Omni-connected tech gadgets are exploding in popularity. The tech industry was forecast to grow in 2021, and with it, restaurants.  The widespread availability of connected devices can help people track their budget, exercise or shopping habits.