SEMINARSEMINAR ON ON

SMART FABRICS SMART FABRICS

BY-

Aman Jaiswal

EC-2

OUTLINEOUTLINE INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION WHAT ARE SMART FABRICS?WHAT ARE SMART FABRICS? TWO FUNDAMENTAL UNITS OF SMART FABRICSTWO FUNDAMENTAL UNITS OF SMART FABRICS TYPESTYPES WORKINGWORKING ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES CHALLENGESCHALLENGES WHAT LIES AHEAD?WHAT LIES AHEAD? CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

They have come a long way!

Cotton hand-picking

Hand spinning

Backstrap-weaving

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION Since the 19th Century, revolutionary changes Since the 19th Century, revolutionary changes

have been occurring at an unprecedented rate have been occurring at an unprecedented rate in science and technology with a profound in science and technology with a profound impact on our lives.impact on our lives.

Inventions of ICs, computers, the Internet and Inventions of ICs, computers, the Internet and many more have transformed the entire worldmany more have transformed the entire world

The technology has progressed so that The technology has progressed so that manufactured fibers and their products manufactured fibers and their products surpass natural fibers in many aspects.surpass natural fibers in many aspects.

The U.S. military historically has been the The U.S. military historically has been the leader in developing smart textile leader in developing smart textile technologiestechnologies

WHAT ARE SMART FABRICS?WHAT ARE SMART FABRICS? Smart fabrics/E-textiles/smart textiles are Smart fabrics/E-textiles/smart textiles are

materials and structures that sense and react materials and structures that sense and react to environmental conditions or stimuli, such as to environmental conditions or stimuli, such as those from mechanical, thermal, chemical, those from mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic or other sources.electrical, magnetic or other sources.

Smart fabrics are no longer a science-fiction Smart fabrics are no longer a science-fiction fantasy.fantasy.

Smart fabrics fall into the discipline of Smart fabrics fall into the discipline of “Nanotechnology.” Nanotechnology is typically Nanotechnology is typically defined by government and industry defined by government and industry organizations as the science of building organizations as the science of building devices of a scale of 1 to 100 nanometers.devices of a scale of 1 to 100 nanometers.

THE TWO THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL FUNDAMENTAL

UNITS OF SMART UNITS OF SMART FABRICSFABRICS

SENSORSSENSORS

Sensors are tiny electronic devices that Sensors are tiny electronic devices that can both detect and generate electrical can both detect and generate electrical signals from the movement and position of signals from the movement and position of any given object, including the motion of any given object, including the motion of the human body. the human body.

These signals are then transmitted These signals are then transmitted wirelessly and analyzed using specially wirelessly and analyzed using specially designed algorithms.designed algorithms.

ACTUATORSACTUATORS

Actuators response to an impulse,resulting Actuators response to an impulse,resulting from a sensor function,possibly after data from a sensor function,possibly after data processing.In a sense actuators are also processing.In a sense actuators are also similar to sensors as they also convert an similar to sensors as they also convert an impulse signal into response signal.impulse signal into response signal.

Actuators make things move,make noises Actuators make things move,make noises and much more.and much more.

Passive smart materialsPassive smart materials, which can only , which can only sense the environmental condition or stimuli,sense the environmental condition or stimuli,

Active smart materialsActive smart materials,, which sense and which sense and react to the condition or stimuli,react to the condition or stimuli,

Very smart materialsVery smart materials, which can sense, , which can sense, react and adapt themselves accordinglyreact and adapt themselves accordingly

TYPES OF SMART FABRICSTYPES OF SMART FABRICS

WORKING WORKING OF SMART OF SMART FABRICSFABRICS

Processing

Trigger or Stimuli

Sensing

ActuationResponse or Action

CO

NT

RO

LL

INGThe sensors provide a nerve system to detect signals

The processor analyzes and evaluates the signals

The actuators act upon the detected and evaluated signal

SOME SOME EXAMPLES EXAMPLES OF SMART OF SMART FABRICSFABRICS

Voltage BagsVoltage Bags

Voltage Bags have an iPod Controller built into the strap. That means you can control your music while your iPod stays in your bag.

It consist of waterproof camera which can be used to protect it from theives.

Audio-controlling Ski JacketsAudio-controlling Ski Jackets

These Ski jackets use touch-sensitive fabric controls to allow wearers to control iPods simply by touching parts of the "iJacket." By pushing two layers of the clothing together with their fingers, the wearer creates a closed circuit to issue a command.

FABRIC KEYBOARDFABRIC KEYBOARD

Weighing less than 80 grams (including batteries) the keyboard is designed to be rolled up when not in use so it fit into a pocket or handbag.

Where existing key pads on many PDAs make typing anything longer than a short message impractical & uncomfortable; the laptop-sized , Fabric Keyboard enables to easily & comfortably type longer documents on the handheld device.

Temperature-ControllingTemperature-ControllingJacketsJackets

These jackets, designed by the Center for Natural Technologies in the UK, adapt to changing temperatures by opening up thin spikes of wool when warm and shutting the wool spikes tight when cold.  

 

ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES

Optimized moisture Optimized moisture managementmanagement

Better heat flow controlBetter heat flow control

Improved thermal Improved thermal insulationinsulation

BreathabilityBreathability

Increased abrasion Increased abrasion resistanceresistance

Easy careEasy care

Environmental friendlyEnvironmental friendly

High performance in High performance in hazard protectionhazard protection

CHALLENGESCHALLENGES It requires a lot of energy for getting the fibers move It requires a lot of energy for getting the fibers move

and work as desired and at the same time the and work as desired and at the same time the properties of a textile, such as drape or comfort, also properties of a textile, such as drape or comfort, also have to be maintained while washing. have to be maintained while washing.

The materials required for making smart fabrics are not The materials required for making smart fabrics are not available easily specially in the local market.available easily specially in the local market.

The cost incurred in producing such fabrics is quite The cost incurred in producing such fabrics is quite high.high.

Smart Fabrics should be washed only by Smart Fabrics should be washed only by cleaning technologies of equal or higher cleaning technologies of equal or higher Tech Level; lower-tech methods will Tech Level; lower-tech methods will damage or destroy them.damage or destroy them.

Some sensors only work well if they are Some sensors only work well if they are placed a certain distance apart on a placed a certain distance apart on a garment.garment.

WHAT LIES AHEAD?WHAT LIES AHEAD?IN FUTURE ALL OF US MIGHT BE WEARING INTELLIGENT CLOTHING THAT

senses when we are having medical problems.gives us the ability to charge electronic devices while on the go. allows for basic computing.

We might not need different clothing for different seasons due to phase change and shape memory technology.

There might be means of communication and general connectivity built in to our clothes.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION A few years ago, smart textiles were presented A few years ago, smart textiles were presented

as imaginary products and as a non competitive as imaginary products and as a non competitive market. market.

After scientific efforts and development phases, After scientific efforts and development phases, nowadays smart fabrics are presented as the nowadays smart fabrics are presented as the future of the textile industry.future of the textile industry.

Some approximations announce a market of 1 Some approximations announce a market of 1

billion dollars by 2010 which certainly explains billion dollars by 2010 which certainly explains the current passion.the current passion.

Smart fabrics are here to stay, that much Smart fabrics are here to stay, that much is certain. What form they'll take by the is certain. What form they'll take by the end of the decade, however, is the stuff of end of the decade, however, is the stuff of science fiction.science fiction.

It remains to see how the challenges are It remains to see how the challenges are taken by the scientists and the textile taken by the scientists and the textile manufacturers and how the hi tech textile manufacturers and how the hi tech textile comes within the reach of common man!comes within the reach of common man!