Computer science professor Jürgen Steimle and his colleagues at Saarland University have produced textiles that have electronic properties. “Our goal was to integrate interactive functionalities directly into the fibers of textiles instead of just attaching electronic components to them,” said Steimle.
At Saarland Informatics Campus, Steimle’s and his colleagues investigated human-computer interaction and how computers and their systems can be integrated seamlessly into the physical world. This includes electronic-interactive materials.
Previous attempts to create these textiles failed because the production process was complicated, and it influenced the properties of the material, making it stiff, thick, or bulky. However, this new method can convert textiles into e-textiles without impacting their original properties – they remain supple, thin, and stretchable. This opens the door for new quick, and versatile experimentations with new kinds of e-textiles and their integration into IT devices.
Scientist Paul Strohmeier, one of the project’s initiators, said:
Especially for devices worn on the body, it is important that they restrict movement as little as possible and at the same time can process high-resolution input signals.
The Saarbrücken researchers used the in-situ polymerization process, which involves “dyeing” the electrical properties into the fabric. The textile is exposed to a chemical reaction in water, called polymerization, making it electrically conductive, sensitive to stretching and pressure, and giving it piezoresistive properties. The team found that by polymerizing individual threads or “dyeing” certain textile areas, they can create tailored e-textiles.
During experimental tests, the Saarbrücken team produced a zipper that transmits different electrical currents depending on the degree of opening, sports tapes that act as user interfaces attached to the body, and gloves that can digitally capture hand movements.
