Smart textiles

A novel film that can rapidly absorb human sweat is being developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS), who have also shown that it could be used to generate energy for we

A non-profit initiative is being set-up with the aim of developing standards and a mature supply chain for the emerging smart-textiles industry.

A battery-powered, self-sterilising smart fabric that inactivates 99.99% of bacteria and viruses within minutes of them coming into contact with it has been unveiled by Osmotex AG of Thalwil, Switz

A way to electrospin piezoelectric polyamide (PA) nanofibres that could generate electricity from body movement is being developed by a trio of institutions in Europe. 

A multitude of functional inks that could be used to create smart bandages are to be developed through a multi-million-Euro project led by the University of Southampton in the UK. 

An aluminium-coated multifilament yarn that could be used to shield parts in cars, mobile telephones and buildings from electromagnetic interference (EMI) has been unveiled by FibreCoat of Aachen,

A surgical blanket that can actively warm a patient without moving the air around them – reducing the risk of infection from airborne pathogens – has been developed by Encompass Group of McDonough,

A sensitive and robust strain sensor that can be embedded in textiles and soft robotic systems has been developed by researchers at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

A textile-based wearable device that simultaneously and synchronously monitors and assesses the heart, lungs and upper vascular system of its wearer has received Class II 510(k) clearance from the

A smart shirt designed to assist in the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from strokes has been developed by designer Jessica Smarsch.

A smart shirt that can gather data on the lung function of its wearer and coach them on their behaviour has been developed through a 15-month-long project by Kinetic Analysis BV and QUAD Industries

Electrospinning processes for the production of thermochromic fibres – which change colour in response to changes in temperature – from liquid crystals are being developed by researchers at Virgini

Inspired by organisms such as fish and insects that are able to produce and emit visible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, a researcher at the University of Borås in Sweden has created lumi

A quick and easy way to manufacture piezoresistive textiles so that they remain thin, stretchable and supple is being developed by researchers at Saarland Informatics Campus (SIC) at Saarland Unive

Flexible luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) that can be applied to textiles and could be used to power everyday electronic devices are being developed by researchers at Empa in St Gallen and ET

Smart face masks that could be used to monitor the health of their wearers by gathering data on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they emit when they respire are being developed by Myant of Tor

A clinical study that will examine the efficacy and feasibility of Myant’s textile-based monitoring systems for the gathering of medical-grade biometric data from the paediatric population is to be

Smart thermally actuating textiles (STATs), which feature tightly sealed pouches that inflate or deflate in response to the application of an electrical current, are being developed for use in soft

A film made from carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which demonstrates the neccessary combination of thermal, electrical and physical properties for the production of fabrics that could heat or cool their we

Results that suggest coronaviruses are killed when exposed to an electroceutical fabric have been reported in ChemRxiv⁽¹⁾ by researchers from the Indiana University (IU) School

Biomaterial-based inks that can respond to and quantify chemicals released from the body (such as in sweat and other biofluids) or in the surrounding environment by changing colour, have been devel

A piezoelectric fabric that generates sufficient electricity to kill bacteria as it is moved, thereby providing a deodorant function, has been developed by Japanese companies Murata and Teijin Fron

A flexible supercapacitor that can use human sweat as an electrolyte, and could potentially generate enough power to run exercise monitors and other electronic devices has been developed by researc

During April 2020, Nufabrx of Conover, North Carolina, worked with two other small US companies to develop and launch re-usable face masks that exploit the antimicrobial benefits of copper.

A nanomaterial-based coating that could be used to add functionality to normal cotton fabrics cheaply and effectively has been developed by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Victoria,

In response to the human coronavirous (COVID-19) pandemic, Canadian smart-fabrics developer Myant has been working to adapt its manufacturing equipment for the production of a new line of personal

Owing to the human coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 2020 edition of the Smart Fabrics Summit will no longer be held in Washington, District of Columbia, USA,  on 16–17 April, but will

The first call for applications by the European Smart Textiles Accelerator, SmartX Europe, has been met with a high level of interest and enthusiasm from the textile and technolog

A carbon nanotube (CNT)-based material developed in the USA is pliable enough to be woven into fabrics to create sensors that could serve as an early warning system for injury or illness.

Flexible, durable, and electrochemically and electromechanically active cellulose yarns, which can be knitted into fabrics that have the same fit and feel as conventional textiles, are being develo

The market for wearable patches is currently exploding, but, as Adrian Wilson reports, for textile manufacturers, there is little to be gained from selling flexible carrier materials by the square

A prototype of a protective suit with integrated temperature sensors and electronics that warn firefighters when ambient temperatures are too high has been developed in Belgium.

Thread manufacturer Coats is working with lighting specialist Osram to launch a washable, lightweight and customisable light-emitting diode (LED)-based system (Coats Signal Active Illumination) for

Sensor-containing wearables are set to become critical tools in making robots more widely available, an application that is unlikely to have occurred to the early developers of smart fabrics. 

A range of self-heating apparel that can be controlled using an application on a mobile electronic device has been launched by AlphaTauri, the fashion label founded by drinks manufacturer Red Bull.

One of Europe’s biggest suppliers of automotive components, Robert Bosch, has been developing structures comprising multiple functional layers of embroidered textiles for the manufacture of flexibl

Smart textile-based heart-rate monitors that perform as well as the traditional electrodes used for such applications are being developed by researchers from Draper of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and

Smart-textiles specialist Myant of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has entered into a joint venture with Osmotex AG of Thalwil, Switzerland, to commercialise the latter's Hydro_Bot active membrane techno

Textile-Circuit⁽¹⁾ is the latest technology developed for the efficient production of functional, electrically

A range of narrow woven base materials for smart textile products have been developed by Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM) of Bally, Philadelphia, USA. 

Nanobionic was selected as one of ten finalists in the 2019 US National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA)'s iTech innovation competition. 

Temperature-responsive textiles that can be used to create self-fitting garments that only require body heat to function have been developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneap

Osmotex has established a partnership with WidePlus for the mass-production of a membrane technology that actively draws sweat away from its wearer's inner garments.

A lightweight energy-harvester for scavenging energy from human motion, generating a sustainable supply of power from walking, has been developed in Hong Kong, China.

BeBop Sensors has tailored a version of its fabric sensor-enabled Forte Data Glove specifically for the Oculus Quest virtual reality (VR) headset marketed by Oculus VR, a division of Facebook.

Computationally controlled knitting machines are being used by researchers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, to create soft toys and other objects that are actuated by tendons—an approach that they

Google’s Project Jacquard has been quiet since the launch of Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket in 2017, but has now returne

The US Air Force Maintenance Operations and Training Augmented Reality Unit (MOTAR) is to use the Forte Data Glove developed by BeBop Sensors of Berkeley, California, USA.