Loom Pedals – Unstable Design Lab

Loom Pedals are an open-source hardware/software interface for enhancing a weaver’s ability to create on-the-fly, improvised designs in Jacquard weaving. The Loom Pedals include a set of modular foot pedals that communicate between a TC2 digital loom and the AdaCAD software. Shanel Wu led the project with the support of an OSHWA Trailblazers Fellowship and will present this research at TEI 2024.

The loom pedals enclosure and hardware. The hardware communicates foot presses to a server that updates the design software and sendings the modified pick to the TC2.

The loom pedals communicate with a “player” in AdaCAD that update the design that is currently being woven.

We envision this system offering more than just presses. Like guitar pedals, we imagine different ways that knobs and sliders could be augmented during weaving to bring the playfulness of treadles the complexity afforded by jacquard weaving.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Exhibitions and Annoucments

Sept 20-23, We'll be at Textile Intersections in London showcasing our outcomes from the 2023 Experimental Weaving Residency

Laura Devendorf's Wear Project was featured in Feminist Designer, a collection of case studies and writing released via MIT Press

October 10-12, Eldy Lazaro will be presenting textiles and bio-materials research at the International Symposium on Wearable Computing in Cancun Mexico.

Algorithmic Pattern Salon

Interested in algorithmic pattern in creative arts, craft and code, consider submitting to The algorithmic pattern salon