Amanda takes us on a whirlwind journey through some of the latest advances and projects in Wearable Computing. The newest companies are rethinking the very nature of technology. For instance, instead of sewing a battery into a garment, they're making garments that can generate their own power. New technology looks more like fashionable jewelry than like a computer.

Dr. Amanda Parkes is a fashion and wearable technology expert, the Chief of Technology and Research at Manufacture NY, a fashion incubator/factory/research facility. She holds a PhD from the MIT Media Lab and is a member of the Business of Fashion 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry.

As a biomedia designer and fashion technologist, Amanda Parkes stands at the intersection of new media, textiles, and fashion. After completing her BA in art history and BS in mechanical engineering (product design) at Stanford, Parkes dedicated her career to discovering new ways that digital technology and ‘smart materials’ affect everyday lives. Her Twitter handle describes her as “one part algae, one part fashion, a dash of robots and a smattering of installation art.”

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx