For my keyboard hacking assignment, my goal was to create a relaxing RGB color creator. I wanted to use fabric to create fabric pressure sensors that you could sort of “pet” to add more of that color.
Problems I ran into
The pressure sensor that I created using the velostat and the conductive thread seemed to work fine with a simple hookup to a light and a battery, however, when I tried to use the same sensor I made with the keyboard hookup, the keyboard didn’t read it at all.
New Direction
After a number of iterations, I decided to make simpler fabric buttons using conductive thread and the copper taffeta.
Conductive thread on felt piece
Conductive fabric on felt piece
Pieces of the switch
Creating the switch
Testing the fabric button switch
Attaching the switches to the keyboard
Testing the three switches