Embedded Textiles, Smart Textiles - Intelligent, Smart Textiles & Apparel

Embedded Textiles refers to those textiles in which non-textile products have been embedded. The products that have been embedded could include electronic devices, circuitry, audio or video systems, sensors and other products that can make the textiles more smart and intelligent.

Embedded Electronics - Integrating electronics into smart textiles – Embedded Electronics refers to those devices that can be embedded in or on any product or component that allow communication. Embedded electronics not only store information on computer circuits, they can also perform transmit and receive functions once activated by an outside signal. This broad definition of one function of embedded electronics actually embraces several dozen recent technical advances that interface with digital information processors to produce some extremely valuable applications.

Tomorrow’s clothes could have durable electronics incorporated into the fabric. - Tomorrow’s clothes could have durable electronics incorporated into the fabric. The ability to weave threads of electronic wizardry into fabrics means the IQ of textiles is rising sharply. Read more from this CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology web page. Key words: smart garments, integrated MP3 players, mobile phone keypads, conductive polymers, organic polymers, intelligent polymer research, seamlessly integrating conducting polymers, integrate electric functionality into textiles, communication devices…

DARPA kick starts wearable computer initiative - Jan 2001 report from EE Times - By Rick Merritt - A growing group of researchers feel that the future of mobile computing may have a lot to do with textiles. Enter smart textiles. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has released a request for proposals that aims to bring together people and technologies in the textile and electronics industries to forge the tools, processes and fundamental technology needed to build a new class of wearable systems made of fabric. Darpa said it will devote significant resources to the so-called e-textiles program over the next five years. Read more from this news report @ Embedded.com

Textiles Gain Intelligence - by Paula Gould - Advances in textile technology, computer engineering, and materials science are promoting a new breed of functional fabrics. Fashion designers are adding wires, circuits, and optical fibers to traditional textiles, creating garments that glow in the dark or keep the wearer warm. Meanwhile, electronics engineers are sewing conductive threads and sensors into body suits that map users’ whereabouts and respond to environmental stimuli. Researchers agree that the development of genuinely interactive electronic textiles is technically possible, and that challenges in scaling up the handmade garments will eventually be overcome. Now they must determine how best to use the technology. Read more from this Oct 2003 white paper @ If Machines (PDF). Keywords: textile technology, materials science, functional fabrics, optical fibers, interactive electronic textiles, self-illuminating textiles, lightemitting diodes (LEDs) in clothing, battery-powered optical fiber screen woven into clothing, reflective coloring, thermochromic inks, Embedded sensors control, electroluminescent wires, integral fabric sensors, conductive fibers. e-buttons, soldering or adhesive techniques, intelligent garments, embedded Cu fibers, context-aware clothing, ‘intelligent’ jacket, Human-Computer Interaction, wearable devices, E-Fabrics, Electric Threads, Fiber-optic dress, Conductive yarn

Scent-Infused Textiles to Enhance Consumer Experiences - National Textile Center Annual Report: November 2005 - Goal:

Recently, fragrances have become available that can be readily formulated into polymer fibers. This advancement opens a potential for synthetic products with scents ranging from synthetic leatherwear to pine scented curtains. The team will explore the incorporation of scents into polymer fibers, and the psychology of acceptance of synthetic scents in textile goods. The long-term goal of this project is to investigate the addition of scents to textile goods in order to provide an innovative and marketable advancement to the textile industry. Abstract: Innovations resulting from technological advancements represent the best strategy for success in the increasingly competitive textile industry. Recently, fragrances have become available that can be readily formulated into polymer fibers. Properly designed textiles containing effective, long-lasting fragrances would provide a significant contribution to the textile industry. The proposed research will investigate new fragrance technologies for use in new and boutique textile technologies. The team will explore the incorporation of scents into polymer fibers, the production of scented fabrics with and without corresponding pigments to modify the response, and the psychology of acceptance of synthetic scents in textile goods. As progress toward this goal, we have identified a supplier for scented-infused fabrics, researched potential odors that can be introduced into textiles, and researched market possibilities for scented textiles. Read more from this NTC research paper (PDF)

Integrated Microelectronics for Smart Textiles - Topics covered in this report - Conductive fibres, Interconnect technologies, Smart textile applications, Mp3 jacket, Mp3 backpack, Smart carpet, Large area textiles, Industrial textiles, Wearable electronics, Problems. Read more from this Ambient Intelligence report (PDF)

Other Topics to be discussed in Embedded Textiles

Scent embedded textiles

Fragrance embedded textiles

Computational clothing

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