Levi's and Google have teamed up to bring a fashionable wearable tech clothing item called the "Levi's Commuter x Jacquard by Google Trucker Jacket" which is designed for the urban bicycle rider.
The jacket looks ordinarily expensive at first with nothing special in it. However, the secret is that it has a small conductive yarn weave that allows the user to communicate with his or her smartphone by just tapping or swiping the cuff.
One problem for those who ride bikes is that they cannot really access their smartphones while on the road as it would be highly dangerous for them and for others as well. They would not be able to answer calls or even to change their music if they are busy riding and looking out for any obstacle and other cars.
Google and Levi's wanted to provide a solution for the problem. The jacket was unveiled at the recent Google I/O conference by the search engine giant's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) research unit, TechCrunch reported.
Users will be able to tap, hold, and even swipe the left cuff of the jacket's sleeve and the wearable tech will process them as gestures or commands. They can then be transmitted to a tethered smartphone in order to answer calls, change tracks and modify the volume level.
The functions can still be expanded upon and users would be able to program what the different gestures can do, Forbes reported. Levi's also has the Jacquard platform app that would guide and help the user setup their trucker jacket.
While the jacket does provide the benefits of technology, others are concerned that it would not really help bicycle riders in a big way. The dark tone of the jacket would make it harder for car drivers and pedestrians to see the biker in the night or even notice them during the day.
Levi's Commuter jacket officially has no price yet and Google would still need to announce the availability and release date of the wearable tech. It is one good example of the marriage of fashion and technology without being too explicit about it.