Tackling the tough challenges in e-textiles
March 25th, 2024
A textile sensor patch with a self-sufficient energy supply developed by the Technische Universitat Dresden. Photo: Marie O’Mahony. Can printed electronics (PE) and flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) offer e-textiles direction that overcomes the design, manufacturing and sustainability challenges facing the industry? The annual conference and trade show LOPEC (Large-area, Organic & Printed Electronics Convention) was recently […]
The long road to smart fabric standards
December 11th, 2023
Loomia makes soft, flexible circuit technology to be incorporated into a variety of textile end products. Photo: Loomia. “Smart textiles” that utilize specialized polymers, chemical additives or electronics to react with their environment are changing textile technology in the 21st century. E-textiles or “wearables” have been particularly promising due to their ability to monitor and communicate […]
Gaining warfighter advantage with flexible hybrid electronics
April 26th, 2021
Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Bowen inspects the temperature sensor inside the air intake of an F-16C Fighting Falcon, a potentially dangerous confined space. Wearable FHE sensor monitors are evaluated and developed for these and similar environments to monitor and ensure warfighter health and safety. Photo: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Clinton Atkins. FHEs and advanced […]
New IPC standard reflects growth of e-textiles industry
January 27th, 2020
by Chris Jorgensen During a meeting at IPC APEX EXPO 2017, members of the e-textiles industry approached IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) to help achieve their goal of developing international standards for their burgeoning field. IPC standards are open international standards, meaning anyone can participate in the process and can influence IPC standards, and because […]
Global standards for e-textiles
July 29th, 2019
The European market is influencing open international standards development through IPC. by Chris Jorgensen Researchers at the MIT Media Lab have demonstrated three classes of textile sensors exploiting resistive, piezoresistive, and capacitive properties of various textile structures enabled by machine knitting with conductive yarn. The knit sensors are made with commercially available yarn. Photo: Daniel […]
Progress in e-textile standards
July 15th, 2019
Organizers push for industry participation in the ongoing process. By Janet Preus Work is well underway, progress has been reported, and new initiatives have been launched. At IFAI’s Smart Fabrics Virtual Summit this spring, presenters Chris Jorgensen, IPC, and Stephanie Rodgers, Apex Mills, provided a comprehensive update on the development of international standards for e-textiles. […]