Here's a sketch of how my final project may look like.

 

It is a jacquard based digital loom. The computer transforms a pixelated image into binary code, the code is sent to a microcontroller that controls electromagnets, wich then make the strings go up or down forming the shed.

 

I took this project as a follow up for another academy project: http://archive.fabacademy.org/archives/2016/fablabpuebla/students/261/final-project.html made by Octavio Muñoz, but changed the nature of it, the first project worked with servo-motors, one for each string, this project on the other hand intends to use electromagnets wich are less expensive and easier to change when damaged.

 

The whole porpuse of the project is to give begginer textile enthusiasts an afordable tool so they can better understand how this textile process works and where it comes from and also for them to use and help them to create their designs by their own.

 

I'll start by designing the module based on an existing mechanical module we use here in the Institute of Design and Technological Innovation so it can be interchangeable with the digital module, make all the mechanical system and then designing and programming multiple boards to control the electomagnets via a computer.

This is Octavio's project