Soon the great outdoors will warm up, inviting fitness enthusiasts for an after office run or ride on the bike.
More often than not this activities take place after sunset because of work schedule or because the more pleasant temperatures after sun-down which means the visibility while running or cycling becomes a safety issue.
In the past, reflective sticker or stripes on clothing helped to increase the visibility but these reflective materials work only when they are hit by light.
I prefer more active light elements as they light up whenever I want them to shine and not when other light sources hit me randomly.
LED elements in clothing have become a favorite style element for wearable tech designer, but illuminated fashion clothing is for many out of reach – cost wise – for now.
LED strings offered by many companies represent a far cheaper but still very effective and attractive wearable light alternative. Instead of posting a couple of links please Google around among the many companies offering illuminated strings, useful not only as shoelace but also as bracelet, decoration for a jacket, shirt or dress or as bag decoration.
LED strings cost between US$ 7.- and 20.- depending on the length, color and vendor. A relatively cheap way to light up yourself and your outfit, to be seen well before a car drives into your comfort and safety zone.
For the DIY eTextile designer: the LED strings are a perfect addition to your eTextile material library, they can become handy if you need some flexible light strings for your next design.
This article was inspired by a recent blog post on Ubergizmo
