Innovation of the week: Google's new internet-connected jean jacket

Google has teamed up with Levi's to make the world's smartest jean jacket, said Nikki Ekstein at Bloomberg​. Designed specifically for commuting bikers, the jacket boasts a subtle patch of conductive fibers in the sleeve that allows the wearer to "tap or swipe across its surface and toggle a series of customizable commands," from silencing calls and changing songs to getting directions to the nearest coffee shop.

All of the info is conveyed via audio, so the cyclist won't be distracted, and the metal-based conductive fibers are fully washable. Google plans to eventually make the technology — dubbed Project ­Jacquard — ­available to third-party designers and app developers to create their own connected clothing. The Commuter Trucker jacket will be available as part of Levi's Spring 2017 collection, though there's no word yet on price.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up