Google’s Project Jacquard — the company’s touch-sensitive fabric technology — is making a surprise return today with the announcement of a second product using the tech: the Cit-E smart backpack, built in collaboration with luxury fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent, that features a touch-sensitive shoulder strap for controlling a connected smartphone.
Like the first Jacquard-powered product, the Levi’s smart jacket, the Cit-E backpack is powered by a removable “tag” that houses the battery and internal hardware. Once paired with a phone, you’ll be able to control things using four gestures on the touch-sensitive area on the front of the left shoulder strap: swipe up, swipe down, double tap, and covering it up.
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As for the bag itself, it appears to be a fairly nice bag, which is more or less what you’d expect from Yves Saint Laurent. The exterior shell is made of nylon, with a canvas lining on the inside, along with a few internal pockets (one meant for a cell phone and another larger, padded pocket that’s likely meant for a laptop or tablet).
By Chaim Gartenberg