4. Making soft sensors

The main ingredient of a soft sensor is a soft conductive material. This can be a conductive fiber, yarn or fabric. Depending on where you live, you can find different suppliers. In Europe, you can get conductive materials here:

• https://bart-francis.be/nl/etextile-high-tech-garen-co/g-128
• https://www.shieldex-shop.com/
• https://www.amazon.nl/Erthree-Afschermingsstof-Blokkeren-Bescherming-Stralingsafscherming/dp/B09C2HJFR1

If you are based in the USA, Adafruit is a great place:

• https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=conductive+yarn

If you don’t have any access to soft conductive materials, you can also get started with more common items like aluminum foil or steel wool from a hardware store (which is not rust-free, but it’s a start) for example.

Depending on your material, you can basically use any technique that you would normally use for regular textile crafts! Michelle always loves to recommend Kobakant, since that’s how she got started with learning about e-textiles.

And remember: if you want to make separate areas where you can touch, make sure to separate the conductive areas so they do not touch each other. If they touch, the MIDI Madness Maker will think they are both on, because you are causing a short between two touch pins. This does not damage the MIDI Madness Maker, but it won’t help you either.

Where to learn more:

• Wearable technology documentation by Kobakant community https://www.kobakant.at/DIY/
• Fabricademy e-textiles, wearables & skin electronics documentation (classes and student documentation): https://class.textile-academy.org/classes/2023-24/week05/