30-01-2010, 09:05 AM
Smart Fabric or Washable Computing.doc (Size: 40 KB / Downloads: 240)
Introduction
wearable computers are empowering fashion accessories, clothes are still the heart of fashion, and as humans we prefer to wear woven cloth against our bodies. The tactile and material properties of what people wear are important to them, and people are reluctant to have wires and hard plastic cases against their bodies. Eventually, whole computers might be made from materials people are comfortable wearing. To this end, we have built electronic circuits entirely out of textiles to distribute data and power, and perform touch sensing. These circuits use passive components sewn from conductive yarns as well as conventional components, to create interactive electronic devices, such as musical keyboards and graphic input surfaces. There are two more modern types of smart fabrics, one using nanotechnology such as carbon nanotubes or fireproof treatments, the other a combination of electronics and conductive fabrics for sensing a persons vital signs