Articles tagged with "smart-textiles"
German scientists develop AI-powered robots to recycle smart clothing
Researchers at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences in Germany have initiated the ReSiST-AR project to develop an AI-powered robotic system aimed at improving the recycling of smart textiles—fabrics embedded with electronic components used in wearables and automotive applications. Funded with nearly USD 500,000 from the European Regional Development Fund and the State of Lower Saxony, the two-year project focuses on creating robots equipped with multispectral cameras, 3D sensors, and AI algorithms to identify and sort smart garments from mixed textile waste automatically. This approach seeks to replace manual sorting, which is often done under unpleasant conditions and involves shipping textiles long distances, by establishing regional recycling loops. The main technical challenge addressed by the project is the difficulty robots face in handling soft, wrinkled, and overlapping textiles that vary widely in material and appearance, unlike rigid objects that AI systems typically recognize more easily. The team is developing advanced sensing and classification technologies to detect both the fabric type and embedded electronics regardless of
robotAIsmart-textilesrecyclingmaterialsautomationsensorsHair-thin fiber chips could bring computing directly into clothing
Chinese researchers at Fudan University, led by Peng Huisheng, have developed fully flexible fiber chips that embed complete electronic circuits within strands as thin as human hair. Unlike traditional rigid microchips, these fiber integrated circuits (FICs) use elastic substrates rolled into thread-like fibers, achieving a transistor density of 100,000 per centimeter—comparable to conventional processors. A 1-millimeter fiber can host tens of thousands of transistors, enabling computing capacity similar to medical implant chips, while longer fibers could reach millions of transistors, approaching classical CPU scales. These fibers support both digital and analog processing, including neural-style computing for image recognition. Designed for durability in real-world conditions, the fiber chips withstand over 10,000 bending and abrasion cycles, stretch up to 30%, twist sharply, endure over 100 wash cycles, tolerate temperatures up to 100°C, and survive heavy compression. This robustness allows integration of power supply, sensing, computing, and display functions into a
IoTwearable-technologyflexible-electronicsfiber-integrated-circuitssmart-textileselectronic-textilesflexible-computingWorld's first 'VPN Blanket' turns staying warm into staying connected
The world’s first "VPN Blanket," created through a collaboration between ProtonVPN and Aries Streetwear, is a unique product designed to combine comfort with technology for expats and international students. Embedded with NFC technology in its woven tag, the blanket allows users to activate a free one-month ProtonVPN service, granting access to content from 120 countries. This innovation addresses homesickness by enabling users to stream familiar shows and media from their home countries, a need highlighted by research showing that 88% of expats feel less isolated when accessing home content, and 82% of foreign students experience homesickness. Designed by Italian expat Sofia Prantera, the blanket features a patchwork quilt style that reflects multiculturalism and the emotional experience of living abroad. The campaign promoting the limited-edition blanket targeted various diaspora communities in London through outdoor and digital advertising, emphasizing the emotional connection to home. Made in Italy from 80% wool and 20% polyamide, the blanket sells for $260 on Aries
IoTwearable-technologyVPNNFC-technologysmart-textilesconnectivityinternational-studentsNew fabric sends touch cues to help soldiers stay silent in combat
Rice University researchers have developed a novel smart textile platform through the startup Actile Technologies that enables fabrics to communicate information via touch rather than visual or auditory signals. Using fluidic logic—air pressure and flow within the fabric instead of electronics—the textiles generate tactile cues such as squeezes, taps, or temperature changes. This approach enhances durability and adaptability, making the fabric functional in challenging environments where electronics might fail. The technology aims to reduce sensory overload by delivering discreet, immediate haptic feedback, allowing users, particularly soldiers, to keep their eyes and ears focused on their surroundings. Actile’s first application targets military use, providing silent, secure communication through wearable garments that feel like normal uniforms but contain hidden channels and conductive fibers to send tactile signals. This innovation helps soldiers receive commands without relying on visual or auditory cues, addressing the cognitive bottleneck caused by information overload in combat zones. The startup has gained recognition as a finalist in NATO’s DIANA accelerator and a competitor in the U.S. Army’s x
materialssmart-textileshaptic-technologysoft-roboticswearable-technologydefense-technologyfluidic-logicStretchable Liquid-metal fibers stretch 10x to power smart clothing
Researchers at EPFL have developed a novel fiber-based electronic sensor that remains fully functional even when stretched over ten times its original length, marking a significant advancement for wearable electronics. The key innovation lies in using a safe, flexible liquid metal alloy of indium and gallium, combined with a thermal drawing process adapted from optical fiber manufacturing. This technique involves creating a large-scale “preform” with a 3D pattern of liquid metal droplets embedded in a soft elastomer matrix, which, when heated and stretched, produces thin fibers with finely tuned electrical properties. This structure allows selective activation of conductive areas within the fiber, resulting in sensors that maintain high sensitivity and conductivity despite extreme stretching. To demonstrate practical applications, the team integrated these fibers into a soft knee brace capable of accurately monitoring joint movements during various activities such as walking, running, and jumping. The fibers’ combination of stretchability, conductivity, and ease of integration makes them promising for smart textiles used in sports, health monitoring, physical rehabilitation, and
materialswearable-technologysmart-textilesliquid-metalstretchable-electronicssensorssoft-roboticsNew textile adjusts its aerodynamic properties, can transform wearables
Researchers at Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed an innovative textile capable of dynamically adjusting its aerodynamic properties through on-demand surface dimpling. Inspired by the dimples on a golf ball that reduce drag by inducing turbulence, this textile forms dimples when stretched, even when tightly fitted to the body. By varying the size and pattern of these dimples, the fabric can reduce aerodynamic drag by up to 20% at specific wind speeds, as demonstrated in wind tunnel experiments. This adaptability is enabled by a unique lattice pattern within the textile composite, which allows expansion rather than tightening when worn. The textile is created using a two-step manufacturing process that combines a stiffer woven material with a softer knit layer, resulting in a flexible yet structured composite. Extensive simulations and experiments with different lattice tessellations (such as squares and hexagons) helped optimize the dimpling patterns for targeted aerodynamic performance. Published in Advanced Materials, the study highlights the potential applications of this smart textile
materialssmart-textilesaerodynamic-propertieswearable-technologytextile-innovationcomposite-materialsadaptive-fabricsSweat-activated winter jacket improves body heat control by 82.8%
A team of scientists led by Xiuqiang Li at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics has developed a sweat-activated winter jacket that significantly improves thermal regulation by up to 82.8% compared to traditional textiles. The jacket uses a bacterial cellulose membrane as its filling, which automatically adjusts its thickness based on humidity levels: it remains thick (13 millimeters) in dry, cold air to retain warmth and shrinks to 2 millimeters when humidity rises from sweating, allowing better cooling during physical activity. This adaptive feature helps maintain comfort by preventing overheating without sacrificing insulation. The membrane was tested both in controlled lab settings, using a system simulating human skin, and in real-world trials where volunteers wore the jacket while walking or cycling outdoors. Results showed the jacket could extend the “no-thermal stress zone” by an average of 7.5 hours across 20 cities, making it particularly beneficial for outdoor workers such as sanitation staff, couriers, and police
materialsadaptive-clothingthermal-regulationbacterial-cellulosewearable-technologysmart-textilesinsulation-materialsScientists sew up smart t-shirt, gesture-reading gloves using sound waves
smart-textileswearable-technologygesture-recognitionIoThealth-monitoringacoustic-wavessmart-wearables