A washable touchless technology developed by an international partnership allows users to interact with standard textiles or specialised apparel by just pointing their finger over a sensor.
The washable and long-lasting magnetic field detecting electronic textiles were developed by a group of researchers from Nottingham Trent University, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany, and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy. They claimed that their creation opens the door to revolutionary applications in apparel.
The researchers demonstrate how flexible and extremely responsive magnetoresistive sensors may be incorporated into braided textile yarns that are compatible with traditional textile production in a recent article published in Communications Engineering.
The corresponding author, Dr. Theo Hughes-Riley, of Nottingham Trent’s Advanced Textiles Research Group, stated in a statement: “electrical textiles are gaining popularity and have many applications, but combining electrical functionality with textile fabrics may be quite difficult.”
By using a ring or glove, which would require a tiny magnet, the user can control the cloth throughout a range of operations. Since the sensors are included into the fabric, their position can be communicated by embroidery or colouring, serving as touchless controls.
The technology is said to function in a variety of weather situations even underwater, and it may be incorporated into apparel and other materials. In contrast to certain textile capacitive sensors and textile-based switches, the researchers noted that it is not prone to unintentional activation.
People could connect with computers, smartphones, watches, and other smart devices by incorporating technology into their regular garments, turning them into wearable human-computer interfaces.
The technology could be used in fields like interactive fashion, gaming, or temperature or safety controls for speciality apparel. For example, it could enable users to operate LEDs or other illuminating devices integrated in textiles using basic motions.
The study included showcasing the technology in a range of applications, such as a self-monitoring safety strap for a motorcycle helmet and a functional armband that enables navigation control in a virtual reality setting.
