LeatherBoard: Sustainable On-body Rapid Prototyping with Leather Scraps and Machine Embroidery

Abstract

The increasing demand for wearable electronics calls for more effective prototyping methods that deliver reliability while maintaining user comfort and versatility. Traditional methods often rely on rigid materials, leading to skin discomfort and challenges in rapid prototyping. Meanwhile, the fashion and electronics industries contribute to environmental issues by generating significant waste, including tons of leather scraps every year. This paper explores the potential of these leather scraps as a resource for creating flexible breadboards. We introduce LeatherBoard, a sustainable approach that uses machine embroidery with conductive threads for efficient and standardized prototyping. Our contributions include the development of LeatherBoard and its evaluation in terms of electrical reliability and durability. We also demonstrate its potential through three prototyped applications, showcasing LeatherBoard's strength as a prototyping platform.