An exhibition titled "Ambient Weaving," showcasing the collaborative research results of Hosoo Co., Ltd., UTokyo, and ZOZO NEXT Inc., will be held at
LVMH Métiers d'Art. The LVMH Group established this organization to protect and promote traditional craftsmanship.
The exhibition will run from September 30 to October 11, 2024, showcasing nine works along with one Historical Research piece. This event has come to fruition through the partnership between Ambient Weaving and Hosoo Co., Ltd., and was inspired by interactions during last spring's event, leading to the decision to exhibit in Paris, France.
At this exhibition, visitors will witness a fusion of traditional artisan techniques and innovative textile technologies. Notably, three previously showcased textiles—S(urr)ound, Woven Pixels, and Iridescence—will be presented in updated versions. We spoke to Kayato Sasaki, Motoki Takano, and Michika Saji from ZOZONEXT, who are responsible for the development.
PROFILE
Kayato Sasaki
After experience in advertising promotions, interactive installations, interactive content, and web production at a production company, he joined ZOZO NEXT in 2022. He works on the IoT/Textile team, which conducts research, technical development and commercialization of smart textiles. He assists in the development of new textiles and project progress.
PROFILE
Motoki Takano
A device engineer, Takano joined ZOZO NEXT in 2022. He takes charge of circuit design, enclosure design, and hardware-software implementation on the IoT/Textile team of the MATRIX division. The team develops new seed technologies related to smart textiles and device technologies, designs interactions using these technologies, and works on their commercialization.
PROFILE
Michika Saji
In 2021 she joined ZOZO NEXT’s IoT/Textile team as a designer after having studied Industrial Design at university. Currently, she supports the prototyping of textiles and products using them. Using textiles as a medium to design and develop new experiences.
S(urr)ound presents "Moving Sound" experienced within a circle
I would like to delve deeper into the details of this exhibition. First, could you give us an overview of S(urr)ound, which you are in charge of, Mr. Sasaki?
SasakiThis textile incorporates thin strips of organic piezoelectric film woven into one side as foils. The electrical signals that flow through it generate sound, and the vibrations of the metal foil woven in as the weft create the auditory experience.
One of its distinctive features is the ability to control the sound field based on the shape of the textile. For example, by exhibiting it in a cylindrical form this time, we can create a sensation of being surrounded by sound.
Last time, we showcased the installation in an S-shape, which allowed sound to be concentrated in the concave areas, and diffused in the convex areas. . The shape can actually influence the control of the sound field.
Furthermore, since this textile is made of textile, it can allow external sounds to pass through, enabling new acoustic effects that weren’t possible before, such as layering sounds over the ambient environment.
Why did you choose a cylindrical shape this time?
SasakiIn the previous exhibition, I opted for the S-shape because I wanted to present various sound field patterns. This time, with the larger size of the textile, I thought that a cylindrical shape could create a sensation of being enveloped in sound, essentially establishing a surrounding environment. I wanted to explore what kind of experiences can be generated within this setting.
The feeling of being surrounded by sound in this surround setup is quite unique. Even with my eyes closed, I can track the sounds as if they are moving around me, creating a fascinating experience. I anticipate that it will provide a very engaging and interesting sensation for the participants.
Can you tell us about the background that led to the update of this work?
SasakiI wanted to explore the properties of the foil more deeply. Taking into consideration the appropriate thickness for the electrostatic speaker amplifier, compatibility with the weaving process, its impact on design, and its effects on sound quality and sound pressure, I selected a foil size of 450mm × 9mm for weaving.
Additionally, I transitioned from the previous switching playback across 12 areas to a multichannel setup with independently controllable 30 channels. This allows us to maximize the potential of each individual foil.
In the future, I believe we can leverage the shape-shifting quality and scalability of this textile to add sound-tracking functionality, opening up new applications, such as audio guides for visually impaired individuals.
