SMART TEXTILES

Rahma Qizilbash, LVI

Imagine walking down the street in the dark, only to find your jacket has lit up, paving the way for you to walk. With a touch of the fabric, you can then change the volume of the song that is playing on your phone. Bluetooth and conductive fibres are used to communicate with your smartphone, thus allowing it to be connected to the jacket and its applications accessed through the fabric.

As unbelievable as this sounds, it is all done using smart technology; this is the integration of digital components and electronics into textile fabrics. With recent developments in the fields of medicine, athletics, aesthetics, aerospace, etc., this cutting-edge technology is transforming the landscape of ordinary life as we know it.

Besides their appeal to the eye in the form of colour-changing clothing, why do we need smart textiles? Firstly, they are employed extensively in the healthcare industry. Smart gloves, for example, can be used to monitor the progress of a patient with Parkinson’s disease. This wearable technology can collect data regarding the patient’s symptoms, via the use of embedded sensors in the gloves, which are stimulated by, for example, hand tremors. As the gloves are connected to smart phones, this enables the processing and transmission of data, eliminating the need to visit a hospital, as a physician can keep track of the disease by surveying the data. Moreover, specific software woven into a textile can gather information about a person’s gait or movements, which is effective in monitoring a patient who has recently experienced a stroke. Socks integrated with this technology can be used to detect abnormalities in the movement of the ankle and knee joints, relaying this information to a medical expert who can treat the patient remotely. Similarly, neurological diseases such as epilepsy, psychiatric illnesses, or autism can be monitored using smart watches. This technology is used to guide an autistic child, by sending them special instructions and commands to carry out their daily tasks. Hence, by incorporating e-textiles into the healthcare industry, the treatment of diseases is becoming expedient and more effective.

Additionally, smart textiles are slowly revolutionising the sports world by improving athletic performance. Watches integrated with sensors, such as the Nike, Apple and Garmin watches, as well as golf clubs, belts and wristbands, can gather data regarding an athlete’s heart rate, body temperature or the distance covered by them. Athletes frequently carry a box which is connected to a heart rate monitor; this is aimed at collecting information which can be viewed by their sports instructor. It also helps them avoid injury and maintain good health. Furthermore, sensors within baseball bats can record the speed at which a baseball player hits the ball, allowing the athlete to adjust this to improve their performance.

Despite the benefits of smart fabrics, there are drawbacks to using this technology. Washing e-textiles can cause them to degrade, corrupting the data within the digital components, as well as leading to a loss of conductivity, which will affect the function of the fabric; aesthetic fabrics may not be able to light up any longer. One of the technologies used in e-textiles is the use of silver nanoparticles, which are not very adhesive and can be removed easily, thereby affecting the function of the textile. Silver or copper nanoparticles may be inhaled by the person wearing this technology, which may cause them lung damage and respiratory problems. However, the fusion of textiles with technology to form smart fabrics undoubtedly has the potential to transform a wide range of industries, consequently leading to endless possibilities of innovation.