St Andrew's University has developed a type of fibre optic that allows light to 'leak' out of it. This provides a glowing cord of cold light, and is in fact, quite an impressive device.

This special type of fibre optic could be woven into various types of clothing, from dresses to shirts, to trousers, anything that would otherwise be made from fabric.

A thread from the item clothing goes into a black control box, that fits neatly into the pocket. The control box contains a small light bulb, a battery, a variable resistor, and a circular filter that goes through the colours of the rainbow. The filter encapsulates the bulb and can be turned around to your desired colour using the nob on the outside of the box. The tint of the colour is achieved via a slider and variable resistor that provides more or less current ot the circuit, thus causing the bulb to glow brighter or dimmer.

The light from the bulb/filter combination enters into the light-leaking garment and causes the garment to glow in that colour. A turn of the nob, your sky blue dress is now red. A slide of the slider, and it is pink. All thanks to colour changing clothes.

N.B. I am yet to find a link regarding St Andrew's Univesity's device due to it's only recent invention.
-- tyskland, Nov 12 2002

Hypercolor T-Shirts http://www.yesterda.../fashion/fa1616.php
Remember these? I had an orange/yellow one. [XSarenkaX, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Lumitex Woven Fiber Optic Lighting http://www.lumitex.com/applications.html
Primarily used as backlighting, but could be pressed into service as a cloth. Dig the light-up speculum near the bottom. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Fiber Optic curtains http://www.i-weiss....urtains/fiberoptic/
[phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Fiber Optics Implanting Machines http://www.usneedle.com/ANI.html
"The machines implant fiber optic wires of as small as .010" (0.25 mm) diameter into fabric. The fabric is used for apparel, displays, etc...." [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Animated Products http://www.internat...om/aniprod_mil.html
Scroll down to 'Fiber Optics'. Make SURE to look at the two items thereafter, too. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

An application waiting for this invention http://www.halfbake...lective_20Outerwear
Instead of reflective fabric, use the glowy stuff. [XSarenkaX, Oct 04 2004]

Fiber-optic dress goes down the aisle http://optics.org/articles/news/8/10/11/1
Something sparkly [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

This would be fantastic although it would give some people the excuse to wash their clothes even less often than they do already. It could completely do away with the idea of buying new clothing because the colour is not fashionable.
-- Miss Weston Smith, Nov 12 2002


People would continue to wash their clothes since light doesn't cover up smell, and can't penetrate crusted on dirt.

Factoid: Eight of the ten cleanest towns in Britain are in Scotland. The other two are in Wales.
-- tyskland, Nov 12 2002


Which are the two in Wales? I'm sure that Aberystwyth isn't one? What I meant was that if you're wearing a yellow t-shirt and it starts to look grubby then changing it to red wouldn't make it look so bad.
-- Miss Weston Smith, Nov 12 2002


Of course one would only do that if they had an important meeting and accidentally dropped spaghetti on their shirt, and had no way of changing.

Oneof the Welsh towns was Clwyd, but i can't remember the other one.

<extra idea> Perhaps a setting that causes the filter to constantly rotate, thus providing an ever-changing colour of shirt.
-- tyskland, Nov 12 2002


<pedant>Clwyd is a region, not a town.</pedant>
-- PeterSilly, Nov 12 2002


I do appologise, my geography skills concerning Wales are slgihtly askew, frankly all the towns seem to be spelt the same to me. Like i say, i think it was Clwyd, but evidentally, either i am wrong or the survey was wrong. Either way, 8 cleanest towns in Scotland, 2 in Wales.
-- tyskland, Nov 12 2002


I was going to post another dissertation on how suitability to purpose leads to obviousness of idea (like I did with the cremation/diamond idea). Fortunately, I don't have to. (link)
-- phoenix, Nov 12 2002


Whats that above my head? Is it a negative comment? Is it a pessamistic view? Why, its both, its phoenix's annotation. Woosh!
-- tyskland, Nov 12 2002


One concern would be whether or not the firber optic material would melt or catch fire too easily. I would hate to be coverd in a plastic suit and have it melt on me burning me to death. I am not sure what kind of laws exist on what materials can be made into clothing or if any exist at all...
-- The Dude, Dec 04 2002


I must get me some of that firber optic material.
-- PeterSilly, Dec 05 2002


Yeah, I want some o' that firber stuff too.What the hell is it, Peter?
-- Eugene, Aug 13 2003



random, halfbakery