New smart dress turns transparent when wearer lies

Smart textiles have been around for a while; however, a new generation seems to be keen to outsmart their wearers. Called “Intimacy 2.0”, Dutch design company Studio Roosegaarde has developed a line of dresses made out of leather and

e-foil that will become transparent depending on the wearer’s agitation.

One can easily imagine the use of such garments for daring revelations at red carpet events or for unintentional disclosures in lieu of a lie detector. But how does the technology behind these smart garments actually work?

The dresses are made out of opaque e-foil and also use LEDs, electronics, copper, wireless technology and other media to measure the wearer’s heartbeat. According to the product description, “social interactions determine the garments’ level of transparency, creating a sensual play of disclosure.” In other words, the more excited or nervous a wearer is, the more transparent the garment will be.

"Technology is our second skin, our second language, in the way we communicate our experience, our information. But why are we looking at these bloody iPhone screens the whole day? Why can't it be more tactile, more intuitive?" asked designer Daan Roosegaarde in an interview with Dezeen magazine.

Men and women can reveal what they feel

Those assuming that the daring act will be limited to women’s wear couldn’t be more wrong. The design company with offices in Holland and Shanghai is already eyeing applications for men’s wear as well. “Right now we're also working on a suit for men, especially for the banking world, which becomes transparent when they lie. Let's see what reality looks like then," challenges Roosegaarde.

No wonder that Roosegaardes invention has caused quite a stir already. He was one of three speakers at the Design Indaba conference in Cape Town at the beginning of March who received standing ovations. “Intimacy” was also presented – among others – at the third Art and Science International Exhibition in November last year in Beijing, at the Fashion Week Poland and at SIGGRAPH in Hong Kong.

It seems just a question of time until international style and pop icons discover the “Intimacy” collection and claim the limelight with it.

Image: Studio Roosegaarde