The trend in the creation of various “smart” things is increasingly gaining momentum. “Computerization” of the usual things, no doubt, makes our life easier and more convenient, but a different kind of wearable electronics is easy to forget or lose, can not be said about clothes. Without it, the house does not leave any one person, so the researchers from Harvard University have invented a smart fabric that can be used for clothing. The interesting thing is that the fabric does not have any additional sensors. She is a “large single sensor”.
Study on new technology of making fabric for clothing was published in Advanced Materials Technologies. “Smart” fabric consists of a layer of silicon located between two layers of silver conductive fabric. The conductivity of silicon is much less silver fabric, and this “sandwich” forms a capacitive sensor. This sensor detects motion, sensing changes in the ability to hold a charge the electric field between two electrodes. Tensile fabric silicon layer becomes thinner and the layers of conductive fabric closer together.
In the test phase of the technology experts developed the glove. The sensor is fixed not only “fitness statement”, but also hand movements, including how many degrees bend each finger. According to scientists, this fabric can be produced sportswear and clothing for patients. As told by scientific research Ozgur Atalay,
“Our work shows very promising results for tracking and creating “clothes with built-in trackers”. For example, a golfer who wears a clothing made from smart fabric will be able to understand whether it posture and stance to strike, but every athlete is able to track your progress without the use of additional gadgets.”
Smart fabric will make any clothing fitness tracker
Vladimir Kuznetsov