5 Uses for E-Textiles
There remains some lingering confusion and wonder around what e-textiles can do. More specifically, people often wonder how this technology can make our lives easier. This is not a question that can be answered simply, as e-textiles have a variety of uses and functions. E-textiles are a foundational technology, meaning they are part of a larger product. There is no one home for them, and they are very accommodating to the specific needs of their users. With all that being said, there are some key applications that are in the development process currently or have already been released to the market. We will be focusing on five main uses of e-textiles.
Definition of E-Textiles
It has been a little bit of time since we last defined what exactly an electronic textile (e-textile) is. So, here’s a bit of a refresher: An e-textile is a circuit that is either constructed into a textile, or created with the intention of being integrated into a textile. The range of applications of e-textiles is wide, and they play a large role in streamlining everyday tasks. E-textiles have played an especially significant part in medicine, safety, and performance, among other purposes.
E-Textile Applications
There are several applications of e-textiles, ranging from healthcare to consumer goods. Here are few we feel play an important role in advancing technology across these industries.
Health Monitoring
Perhaps, the most well-researched application of e-textiles is medical. Specifically, the monitoring of health conditions. Currently, there are medical wearables that have been invented to monitor several aspects of a person’s health, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and symptoms of disease. Take for example, high blood pressure; several garments have been made with biosensors to collect data on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This allows the user to easily detect triggers as they go about their day, and report back to their physician so an effective treatment and management plan can be put in place. For health applications, e-textiles often function as either electrodes (which can be used for direct readings like EKG or EMG) or power and data cables, connecting together sensors and power sources.
Worker Safety
Occupational safety is another area where e-textiles can provide a great deal of service. One hypothetical use is for construction workers who are working outdoors late at night. LED lights can be affixed to a uniform and automatically turn on when it gets dark outside, improving visibility. However, LEDS are not the only electronic component used for safety applications. According to Euronews, an automatic radio transmitter has been added to a smart outfit worn by fishermen in Norway. The transmitter sends signals to an external system, allowing them to stop a boat and send coordinates to a rescue team in case of an emergency. How incredible is that?
Comfortable Driving
A favorable feature among drivers is heated seats. Who doesn’t like being blanketed in warmth while driving? While it is often a luxury, heated seats and steering wheels are essential for drivers in frigid temperatures. Turns out, you can thank e-textiles for this technology. Our LOOMIA Electronic Layer, in particular, can heat car seats and steering wheels up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the magic doesn’t stop there. Our soft user interfaces can be used throughout a vehicle’s interior to control a variety of functions to make riders more comfortable, and our LEL can provide cabin lighting that produces a variety of ambient effects for an aesthetically pleasing driving experience.
Athletic Performance
Several companies are developing garments and accessories made from smart textiles that track and record data based on athletes’ motion. Retisense, for example, developed a ‘smart insole’ for runners to place in their sneakers. The smart insole can help runners improve their form and avoid injury. This invention could prove useful to marathon runners when they are in the midst of training, and are looking for ways to improve their overall performance. When it comes to clothing, companies like Wearable Experiments and Athos have led the way for high performing athletic wear that brings extra functionality to athletes.
New User Interfaces
E-textiles can also be used to get the most out of external devices and media, Jacquard by Google is a perfect example of this. Jacquard is a wearable technology created by Google that has been added to garments and accessories. The capacitive touch grid that acts as a user interface on the jacket is woven directly into the product, and has the ability to answer calls, play music, take photos, and get directions with a simple gesture. And, e-textiles aren’t just making it easier to use devices; they are saving battery power. According to Futurity, a “wireless body sensor network” built into a garment allows devices (such as a smartphone) to transmit data faster; in-turn, improving battery usage.
How Electronics Are Embedded
Smart Textile electronics can be embedded in products in several different ways. The most common ways are the following:
Directly embedded (knitted or woven directly into the textile)
Sewn in
Laminated on
As e-textile technologies continue to advance, they can more easily be integrated into items we use everyday. E-textiles can provide an exciting array of functions to products and tools, and their customizable nature allows them to transcend just one industry application. To learn more about what e-textiles can do, we highly recommend reading An Intro to E-Textiles.