Clothes that can monitor our health, help us in our day-to-day lives and enhance our entertainment experiences are being developed at the University of Southampton.
A machine coats yarn with material that can conduct electricity. Image credit: University of Southampton
Scientists are working on a flagship project that will take e-textiles to the next level, integrating imperceptible and invisible wireless electronics into textiles.
The possibilities are limitless, ranging from clothing for health and fitness monitoring to socks that monitor gait, garments to enhance virtual reality, and smart textiles for car interiors.
Experts in electronics, sustainability, and textiles at the University of southampton, alongside colleagues at the University of Glasgow, have embarked on a £10 million five-year project to address three key challenges: making the electronics in textiles wireless and imperceptible, ensuring they withstand everyday wear and tear and washing, and making them sustainable.
Steve Beeby, Professor of Electronic Systems and Devices at the university of Southampton, said: “This is the first time researchers in electronics, sustainability, and textiles have joined forces from the beginning of the design process. This ensures everything we develop considers all needs from the early stages – effective electronics, practical textiles, and overall sustainability.”
The researchers have already developed a bespoke machine for making electronic yarns, and thier state-of-the-art printing machine can print electronics at sub-micron (one thousandth of a millimetre) size.
While Southampton researchers are leading on textile manufacture and sustainability,academics at the University of Glasgow are leading the development of the wireless technology.
Dr Mahmoud Wagih, Reader in Electronic and Nanoscale Engineering at the University of Glasgow, explained: “We will focus on integrating electronics within fabrics wirelessly and invisibly, making them imperceptible to the user. Together, we need to develop a means