Google announced Project Jacquard last year at Google I/O 2015. Part of its ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) group, its objective was to build smart capabilities into clothing by incorporating sensors right into the fabric and pairing them up with discrete electronic components allowing it to become interactive. Levi’s was the first brand to partner with Google. Jump forward one year and the two companies today unveiled the first product of that partnership, the Levi’s Commuter X Jacquard by Google Trucker Jacket (or Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket for short), at Google I/O 2016.
The name may not exactly roll off the tongue but the jacket will make things like adjusting music volume, silencing a phone call or getting an estimated ETA to a destination require no more than the simple touch of a jacket sleeve. The Jacquard technology is literally woven into the jacket rather than being an add-on to it. It supports a range of simple gestures like tapping or swiping on a sleeve to activate functionality. Needless to say, the jacket can be washed without affecting the sensors.
“Anyone on a bike knows that navigating your screen while navigating busy city streets isn’t easy – or a particularly good idea,” said Paul Dillinger, head of global product innovation for Levi Strauss & Co. “This jacket helps to resolve that real-world challenge by becoming the co-pilot for your life, on and off your bike.”
The video suggests that the jacket will only come with one interactive area on the sleeve.
The Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket will be available sometime in the Spring of 2017. Pricing was not announced today.
Source : Levi's