Circus Science

We have partnered with local trapeze and circus arts instructors to combine various commercially available, wearable electronic components in the design and construction of a high tech, responsive costume for circus performers. Implementing microcontroller-based electronics in performance costumes is a novel approach that offers a new platform for enhancing a traditional circus performance with the rapidly expanding field of consumer microcontrollers and wearable electronics. We discuss the inspiration, implementation, and design challenges that led to our specific decisions in development, and what direction we hope to take the development in the future.