This Innovative Hair Clip May One Day Help Deaf People #WearableWednesday #wearabletech #Arduino

Ontenna CU

The last time I got excited about a wearable for accessibility it was Dot—a Braille smartwatch. However, thanks to a lead from Wired UK I’ve got a new project to appreciate, Ontenna, a vibrating hairclip. Haptic devices can be helpful for notifications, but some deaf people find them a bit overwhelming on a wristband or clothing. That’s why Fujitsu has embraced the hairclip, which actually got its start a few years ago according to the company.

A prototype of Ontenna was first shown in 2016, though the technology started as a university research project by current Fujitsu user interface designer Tatuya Honda.

There’s some biomimicry going on here with the hairclip sending vibrations through hair, much like whiskers on a cat. Currently the model can create vibrations based on intervals of sound, but the hope is to develop a product that can differentiate tones. The idea is simple, but it could add a lot of value to someone who is deaf. Imagine events happening behind you that you are unaware of, but suddenly through some minor buzzing you realize there is a reason to look. Not only is it handy, but it may add safety.

One of the things that stands out on the company’s site is the detail given on the first prototype—it was an Arduino. You know I’m a lover of microcontrollers, so I was psyched that they were willing to share the origins of the product. How many Arduinos grow up to be custom wearable tech devices? How many finished products remain Arduino? Where is the survey for this info? Anyway, the point is that Arduino is a great prototyping tool.

Arduino Beginnings

I’m definitely going to follow this project, which is close to completion, and I hope you will check out the details on Wired UK. If you have an urge to make your own haptic device, you should start with our Buzzing Mindfulness Bracelet learning guide. A simple buzz at your wrist can remind you to take a break, meditate or just be in the moment; it all happens with our GEMMA microcontroller. Have fun making and let us know if you are working on a project that helps accessibility.


Flora breadboard is Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Join Adafruit on Mastodon

Adafruit is on Mastodon, join in! adafruit.com/mastodon

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 36,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


Maker Business — “Packaging” chips in the US

Wearables — Enclosures help fight body humidity in costumes

Electronics — Transformers: More than meets the eye!

Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Silicon Labs introduces CircuitPython support, and more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

Adafruit IoT Monthly — Guardian Robot, Weather-wise Umbrella Stand, and more!

Microsoft MakeCode — MakeCode Thank You!

EYE on NPI — Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — #NewProds 7/19/23 Feat. Adafruit Matrix Portal S3 CircuitPython Powered Internet Display!

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !



No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.