Probably the simplest part to understand, 'modular' means that Stitch Synth is made of separate parts, or modules, that connect together. Modular setups are popular in the synth world because it allows a lot of flexibility (when was the first modular synth?)
Probably the simplest part to understand, 'modular' means that Stitch Synth is made of separate parts, or modules, that connect together. Modular synths have been around since the 1960s, and are still in use today. Classic modular synths use patch cables (the coloured wires in the image below) to connect inputs and outputs of different modules together - personally I'm a big fan of the 'big mess of wires' aesthetic, but it is also pretty complex, and totally bewildering for newcomers to modular synthesis
[image of classic modular setup]
[image of classic modular setup](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/MOTM_modular_%40_NYU.jpg/1200px-MOTM_modular_%40_NYU.jpg)
Stitch Synth is way way simpler - It has 10 modules, and uses metal snaps to connect them (physically and electronically) together.
E-textiles, or electronic textiles, is a sub-field of electronics where circuits are made (partially or entirely) out of textiles. Metallic threads have long been used for decorative purposes in embroidery and dressmaking, but it's only in recent years that these threads, which can be conductive, have begun to be used to make soft circuits.
...
...
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ Conductive textiles currently available include:
* Fabrics coated with conductive polymers
* Silver, copper or carbon-based conductive ink and paint.
![image of conductive threads]()
Today, in 2019, there is research ongoing on developing soft components like capacitors, transistors, and various types of flexible circuit boards. The field of e-textiles isn't yet at the point where all components in a circuit can be fabricated out of textiles and soft materials, but this may change in the near future.
At the moment, e-textile circuits can be a bit more challenging and tricky to make than regular electronics. But they also offer new and interesting ways to interact with electronics, and possibilities for us to make wearable computers that aren't just hard devices strapped onto the body.
