angella mackey

Neighbourhoodie is a prototype hoodie that is an accessory for the iPod Touch and iPhone that can put its wearer into a video game in the real world. It was conceived by Kathleen Climie, Rose Bianchini, and David McCallum at the Canadian Film Centre's Media Lab. Prototyped so that three wearers could play a game of "zombie tag", the hoodie lights up and responds to gestures and game events (such as putting the hood up, tagging other players) to immerse the user in a world of collaborative experience.

I was commissioned to design and produce one of the hoodie prototypes, concentrating on a design that would appeal to teenagers and seamlessly integrate the electronics. Shown here are pictures of this prototype. The lighting system is integrated into the front and back thin panels. Each panel glows in colours that represent information about the player and the game. When not in use for an interactive game, the Neighbourhoodie appears as an everyday hoodie.

Here is the hoodie. The lines going across the chest glow during a game. The colour depends on the game.

The action of putting up the hood is significant in the game of "zombie tag" - it means the game has started.

When not playing a game, the hood can also be used to listen to music on your iPod.

The iPod is connected and secured in a pouch within the pocket. It won't move or fall out.

The earphones are connected and secred inside the hood right next to the ears.

The soundscape inside the hood is very intimate.

This is the tag patch for the game of "zombie tag". Players hit this patch and the hoodie turns a different colour to show you've lost.

The game can be downloaded onto your iPod and becomes interactive with your friend's and their hoodies.

This shows how the front can glow during the game - mostly visible in the evening.

The tag patch.