World’s First AI Dress Is Here: How This Unique Outfit Blends Technology And Fashion

Christina Ernst, a software engineer at Google, has grabbed the attention of netizens with her latest creation: a "robotic Medusa dress." This innovative piece, described as the “world’s first AI dress,” features robotic snakes capable of detecting and following faces, making it a unique fusion of technology and fashion.

Ernst showcased her dress on her Instagram page, "She Builds Robots," which aims to inspire girls to delve into robotics. The video quickly went viral, garnering over 2.9 million views. In it, Ernst enthusiastically details her journey of constructing the dress, sharing the various challenges and prototypes she faced.

How the robotic medusa was crafted?

The dress, adorned with four 3D-printed snakes, includes one that utilises AI technology to detect faces and replicate the movements of a real snake. Ernst explained the creation process in her video, saying, “I learned to create TinkerCAD models for the snake bodies, then 3D printed, spray painted, and added a rotating motor.” She ingeniously concealed the motor in a pocket and used cardboard to complete the moving body design.

Inspired by automata toys, Ernst designed the dress to remain lightweight by minimising the number of motors and soldering them directly onto the fabric. “My robotic Medusa dress is finally done,” she announced, showcasing her creation with pride.

Powering through challenges and showcasing transparency

Ernst candidly shared her struggles and setbacks during the process. “In case you think I magically knew what I was doing, the foil snake was my favourite,” she revealed, showing clips of less successful prototypes. Her honesty added a layer of authenticity to her impressive project.

Reflecting on her achievement, Ernst mused, “So maybe this is the world’s first AI dress?” emphasizing the unique integration of fashion and technology she accomplished.

Netizens react to world's first AI dress

The comment section of Ernst’s video is filled with admiration and praise. One Instagram user remarked, “The people who are ‘disappointed by this’… are we seeing the same video? This is amazing. Looking forward to seeing everyone else build their robot snake dresses.”

Another user, an engineer with a passion for fashion, commented, “I love this project! People may not realize the effort, time, and money it takes to create something like this. Well done!”

Foreseeable future of AI in fashion

Christina Ernst’s creation represents more than just a dress; it's also known as the first AI dress. Her website, shebuildsrobots.org, showcases her projects and aims to teach girls to build robots. 

Acknowledging both praise and criticism, Ernst remarked, “Engineering is about trade-offs and I’m happy with the ones I made,” according to media reports.