Detect Air Pollution On Your Chest!

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion Tech Talk

This is cool!

Two NYU grad students designed shirts that change color when the air quality is bad.

If pollution from cars, factories, or even second-hand smoke is detected by the carbon monoxide sensor, the micro-controller will send electrical currents through the shirt. The wires then heat up, which change the pink heart or lungs to blue.

Nien Lam explains: "The organs in your body are invisible to you, just like pollution and the other silent killers out there".

Sue Ngo adds: "We wanted to bring up that visualization, bring the inside out. This is a stark reminder for yourself and others around you."

The designing duo hope to wind a way to get their invention mass produced so they can "organize mobs to wear them around the city".

But unlike then, they're moving on to their next project: an alcohol detector.

Wouldn't you like to spend a Friday night with these two?

Check out the shirt in action (and maybe on mute) in the clip (above)!

Tags: air pollution, air quality detector, carbon monoxide, grad students, invention, nien lam, nyu, sue ngo

Posted: January 21, 2011 at 10:30 am