Drinkbot Dress by Anouk Wipprecht allows its wearer to decide who to serve a shot to (and who to leave dry). A playful take on the cocktail dress, Drinkbot is made of leather and electronic components housed inside a 3D printed dress through a process called sintering. Drinkbot is equipped with a backpack that nests all the tubing and wiring inside, and a small pouch that holds the mixed drink liquid (for instance gin and tonic). The heart-shaped centrepiece at the front of the dress holds the shot glass in place while the drink is poured. Drinkbot Dress is an entertaining experience that poses a serious question: what if we combined medical technology, customized hardware, and human biometrics to create emotionally responsive fashion?
Strangely ahead of her time; Anouk combines the latest in science and technology to make fashion an experience that transcends mere appearances. Sensors embedded in the design monitor the space around the wearer, and body-sensors check in on stress levels as comfort or anxiety. Her Intel-Edison based 'Spider Dress' is an perfect example of this aesthetic, where sensors and moveable arms on the dress help to create an more defined boundary of personal space while employing a fierce style. "This robotic dress attacks when you come to close" she mentions. Facilitating and augmenting the interactions we have with ourselves and our surroundings in an bespoke manner. Other than handheld devices, Wipprecht researches how we can interface in new ways with the world around us through our wardrobe.
Anouk Wipprecht
The dress serves you a drink based on voice command over a BeagleY-AI open hardware single board computer, equipped with six peristaltic pumps that mix drinks, – live on the body! In both a suit and a dress.
The Drinkbot Dress was showcased during the Maker Faire festival, as well as serving as a showpiece for the Mayor’s Gala for the Arts, a fundraiser hosted by Mayor Jim Watson.
Anouk Wipprecht serving Mayor Jim Watson a Gin and Tonic from the Drink Bot Dress