The Flame 5 (F5) is a jacket that connects to a mobile phone via Bluetooth and enables communication via heat. If a person sends an SMS (TEXT) to a another person wearing Flame 5, the clothing heats up depending on the personal message. Flame 5 works with standard Bluetooth mobile phones.
Developed at the Ambiente Group at Fraunhofer IPSI, this Jacket is a concept study that elevates communication to a more personal level.
Today’s mobile phones use sound, vibration and light to interact with the user. Flame 5 offers mobile phones a more sensual and calm communication via heat. Heat has been chosen since it is often associated with emotional connectedness. Moreover heat can be felt unobtrusively and in the periphery of a wearer’s attention.
The Technology:
Embedded in the jacket is light-weight technology that allows the mobile device of the wearer to connect to the jacket wirelessly and to specifically heat parts of the clothing. The following technical components are seamlessly integrated in the jacket. A Bluetooth module that enables communication with the mobile phone. A custom-built circuit board that is attached to the bluetooth module and controls the heating elements. A small battery pack. And finally heating elements that are connected to the circuit board. When developing the hardware the focus was on minimal size of all components. All hardware that is not water-proof is stored in small pockets and can be easily detached which enables to wash the jacket.
