TH

Introduction ElectronicTextiles:electronictextiles,arefabricsthatcanfunctionelectricallyaselectronicsandbehavephysicallyastextileswhichenablecomputing,digitalcomponentsandelectronicstobeembeddedinthem.Partofthedevelopmentofwearabletechnology,theyarereferredtoasintelligentclothingorsmartclothingthatallowfortheincorporationofbuilt‐intechnologicalelementsineverydaytextilesandclothes.

History Early1990s:MITstudentsstartedresearchonsmartclothingformilitaryuse. Notwearableandverycumbersometomovearoundin.

1998:Beginningoftheintegrationbetweenfashionandtechnology– mostnotablybyLeviandPhillipsElectronics.

2001‐present:Startedtointegratemedicalusesintoclothing. ZOLLLifeVest® LifeShirtbyVivometrics

BENEFITSOFETEXTILESElectronictextiles,ore‐textiles,areanewemerginginterdisciplinaryfieldofresearch,bringingtogetherspecialistsininformationtechnology,microsystems,materials,andtextiles.Etextilesoffersthefollowingadvantages:– Flexible– Nowirestosnagenvironment– Largesurfaceareaforsensing– Invisibletoothers– CheapmanufacturingThefocusofthisnewareaisondevelopingtheenablingtechnologiesandfabricationtechniquesfortheeconomicalmanufactureoflarge‐area,flexible,conformableinformationsystemsthatareexpectedtohaveuniqueapplicationsforboththeconsumerelectronicsandaerospace/militaryindustries.Theyarenaturallyofparticularinterestinwearablecomputing,wheretheyprovidelightweight,flexiblecomputingresourcesthatthatareeasilyintegratedorshapedintoclothing.

ApplicationsofE‐textilesThefutureofspecializedfabrics— E‐textilescanbeused•Tosensetankmovements,•Tomonitorhomesfornoxiouschemicals•Helpfirefightersmaneuverinsmokybuildings,andperhapshelpstrokevictimsrecovertheirfunction.•Theycanalsobeusedinasmarthometodetectthemovementofpeopleandadjustthelightingorsoundsystems.•Forsensornetworkcommunications•Physicaltherapy•Actasbatteriesorchemicalsensors

Wearable electronics

Music jacket

Textileswitches

Textilekeyboards

Current Technology ZOLLLifeVest

Wearabledefibrillator Ifheartpalpitationsoranalarmingrhythmoftheheartisdetected,thevestgivesasignaltothepatient. Ifthesignalisnotstoppedbythepatient,thenthedefibrillatorgivesofftheconductinggel,thensendingashocktothepatient.

VivoMetricsLifeShirt PlacesECGsensorsonthebody,whichthenthedataistransmittedtothedatarecorder,whichisthentransmittedtothedoctor.

SmartShirt DevelopedbyGeorgiaInstituteofTechnology T‐shirtwithafibergrid– dataisthenwirelesslytransferredtoaPDAwithBluetoothtechnology.

GeorgiaTechWearableMotherboard™:TheIntelligentGarmentforthe21st CenturyGeorgiaTechWearableMotherboard™ (SmartShirt)forCombatCasualtyCarehasledtotheworld'sfirstWearableMotherboard™ oran"intelligent"garmentforthe21st Century.TheGeorgiaTechWearableMotherboardusesopticalfiberstodetectbulletwounds,andspecialsensorsandinterconnectstomonitorthebodyvitalsignsduringcombatconditions.ThisGeorgiaTechWearableMotherboard(SmartShirt)providesanextremelygoodsensing,monitoringandinformationprocessingdevices

HowtoUsetheSmartShirt?Tousethisnewtechnology,acombatsoldierattachessensorstohisbody,pullstheSmartShirton,andattachesthesensorstotheSmartShirt.TheSmartShirtfunctionslikeamotherboard,withplasticopticalfibersandotherspecialtyfiberswoventhroughouttheactualfabricoftheshirt.Topinpointtheexactlocationofabulletpenetration,a'signal'issentfromoneendoftheplasticopticalfibertoareceiverattheotherend.TheemitterandthereceiverareconnectedtoaPersonalStatusMonitor(PSM)wornathip‐levelbythesoldier.IfthelightfromtheemitterdoesnotreachthereceiverinsidethePSM,itsignifiesthattheSmartShirthasbeenpenetrated(i.e.,thesoldierhasbeenshot)Thesoldier'svitalsigns‐heartrate,temperature,respirationrate,etc.aremonitoredintwoways:throughthesensorsintegratedintotheT‐shirt;andthroughthesensorsonthesoldier'sbody,bothofwhichareconnectedtothePSM.Informationonthewoundandthesoldier'sconditionisimmediatelytransmittedelectronicallyfromthePSMtoamedicaltriageunitsomewherenearthebattlefield. TheGeorgiaTechSmartShirtcanhelpaphysiciandeterminetheextentofasoldier'sinjuriesbasedonthestrengthofhisheartbeatandrespiratoryrate.Thisinformationisvitalforassessingwhoneedsassistancefirstduringtheso‐called'goldenhour'inwhichtherearenumerouscasualties

LimitationsofCurrentTechnology Notwaterproof

Canitbeworninthewaterforcontinualuse?Canitbewornintherain?

Cost Isitcoveredbyinsurance? Ifitis,arethereadditionalcoststhatneedtobecovered?

Calibrations UnderFDAlaw,medicaldevicesmustgoundercalibrationtopassgovernmentrequirements.

FutureTechnology Weatherproofandwaterproofsystems

Possiblysmarttextilesthatcanbewornoutsidethecomfortofthehome.

Wirelesstransmittersthatcancollectdataevenoutside4G(Bluetooth)areas.

SmartTextilesforchildren Commercialization Automaticcalibrations Datacanbesenttodoctorviasmartphoneapplication

ortabletapplication Thedoctorcancollectdatainrealtime.

Integrationofotherfabricmaterialsthatcouldhelpimproveversatility Yarn,spandexmaterialforexerciseclothing

SUMMARY1.Electronictextilesore‐textilesareanewlyemerginginterdisciplinaryfieldofresearchwhichbringstogetherspecialistsininformationtechnology,microsystems,materials,andtextiles.2.Thefocusofthisnewareaisondevelopingtheenablingtechnologiesandfabricationtechniquesfortheeconomicalmanufactureoflarge‐area,flexible,conformableinformationsystemswhichareexpectedtohaveuniqueapplicationsforbothconsumerelectronicsandmilitaryindustry3.E‐textileswillgenerateasignificantbodyofresearchwithdeepimplicationsineveryday'slife,consumermarketandapplicationsrequiringremotesensing,processingandactuation(e.g.medical,spaceandmilitary).