- tech360.tv
Chinese Researchers Create Fiber to Turn T-Shirts into Electronic Devices
Chinese researchers have developed a new fiber that can turn T-shirts into electronic devices. The fiber eliminates the need for batteries and chips, making it more affordable and accessible. The fiber can be woven into fabric, enabling fabric displays and wireless instruction transmission.
In a groundbreaking development, Chinese researchers have successfully created a new type of fiber that can transform ordinary T-shirts into electronic devices. This innovation has the potential to revolutionise the world of smart wearable technology, making it more accessible and seamlessly integrated into our daily lives.
Smart wearable devices have gained immense popularity in recent years, playing a crucial role in various fields such as health monitoring, telemedicine, and human-computer interaction. However, incorporating electronic components into everyday clothing like T-shirts has always posed a challenge. The need for rigid batteries and data processing chips has hindered the seamless integration of technology into fabric.
Addressing this issue, a team of researchers from Donghua University's College of Materials Science has developed a layered textile that can be activated by a simple touch. Their study, published in the prestigious Science journal on April 4, showcases the potential of this groundbreaking technology.
The research team proposed a non-von Neumann architecture, which breaks away from the traditional linear sequential information processing. This new textile integrates energy harvesting, information sensing, and signal transmission functionalities into a single thread. By coupling the human body as part of the circuit, the fiber can gather ambient electromagnetic energy, eliminating the need for additional batteries.
The innovative fiber consists of three distinct layers, all made from readily available materials. The core of the fiber acts as an antenna, capable of sensing alternating electromagnetic fields, and is crafted from silver-plated nylon fibers. The intermediate layer is composed of a dielectric layer made from BaTiO3 composite resin, optimised to enhance the coupling capacity of electromagnetic energy. Finally, the outer layer is an electric field-sensitive luminescent layer made from zinc sulfide (ZnS) composite resin.
Yang Weifeng, the first writer of the study and a doctoral student at Donghua University, highlighted the affordability and mass-production potential of this smart fabric. The use of low-cost raw materials and established processing techniques makes it feasible to incorporate this technology into everyday clothing.
The applications of this new fiber are vast. It can be seamlessly woven into fabric, enabling fabric displays, wireless instruction transmission, and other functions without the need for chips or batteries. Clothes made from these fibers can be interactive, luminous, and even remotely control electronic products wirelessly by generating unique signals based on the user's posture.
Hou Chengyi, a member of the research team and a researcher at the State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, expressed excitement about the potential of this technology. He believes that these innovative features will expand the application scenarios of electronic products and transform the way people experience smart living.
The research team is not stopping here. They are actively working on refining the fibers' energy-harvesting capabilities and expanding their functions to include displays, shape-changing, computing, and artificial intelligence. Their vision is to create smart clothing that empowers individuals and enhances their adaptability to the environment.
Professor Wang Zhihong, the research team leader from Huadong University, envisions a future where smart clothing becomes even more powerful, enabling humans to thrive in their surroundings. With this groundbreaking development, the possibilities for smart wearable technology are endless.
Chinese researchers have developed a new fiber that can turn T-shirts into electronic devices.
The fiber eliminates the need for batteries and chips, making it more affordable and accessible.
The fiber can be woven into fabric, enabling fabric displays and wireless instruction transmission.
Source: CGTN