Smart Clothes Edge Closer To Reality With Conductive Threads

Wearable technology is right not more or less confined to gadgets and gizmos in which you wear on the lapel of your coat or around your wrist, or even a ring, but to have really smart clothes? That is still some distance away. You will be able to stitch circuitry into your shirt for a better cell signal thanks to Ohio State University researchers who have managed to stitch conductive threads into clothing – and doing so at a precision level which would be on par with that of printed circuit boards.

Of course, the researchers were cautious enough to mention that this might be the start of what they call, “functional textiles”, where the integration of conductive threads into clothes do seem to be an industry that holds plenty of promise. Imagine being able to gather, store and transmit data through your shirt or dress, allowing them to function as antennas for smartphones, or perhaps allowing workout gear to monitor health.

Researchers made use of tabletop sewing machines to stitch in this circuitry, swapping out thread for fine silver metal wire instead. It has also proven itself to be a rather creative and versatile method of developing designs on the spot, and more importantly, that they work as expected. [Press Release]

Edwin Kee
Categories: General
Tags: smart clothes, Wearable Tech