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Another Look At High-Tech Fabrics

Posted by timothy on from the please-don't-wet-the-cloth dept.

prostoalex writes "CSMonitor takes a look into wearable computing and digital fabrics. To quote the article, 'many anticipate [this sector] will become one of the next hot drivers of the American economy'." I find the Foster-Miller wearable cables an especially neat technology.

5 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. 80's/early 90's redux by faeryman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The fabric contains electronic wires and tiny capsules of a special thermochromatic ink that get darker or lighter as they are heated or cooled.

    hehehe...just like HyperColor shirts, except it's electronic.

    --


    ,
    faeryman
  2. connectivity by jericho4.0 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Now what we need is a way to connect all these fabrics.

    What would be cool is a way to arbitraily address a paticular quality of a device (display,sound, shape...) or data(temputare,video, audio...) by location rather than specific device.

    Then our wearables could interact with our enviroment and other peoples wearables.

    --
    "A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing" - Alan Perlis
  3. Re:Wearable air conditioners by sstory · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Here's what would happen. The initial temp difference would power a generator, which would power internal cooling of you. this would decrease the temperature gradient through the clothing layer, decreasing the efficiency of the AC. but remember, the gadget is preventing heat from radiating away from you quickly, increasing your temp slightly. in the end, you'd not be able to get enough energy to cool down appreciably, and that energy would be from food, which is more expensive than duracells.

  4. Luminex Fabric by Alien54 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Luminex is interesting. It is a glowing fabric that can be cut, sewn, etc. Exotic, but odd in a slightly retro way. (videos also at the links)

    Of course, natural and/or synthetic fibres can be of any color. Fibres transmitting light are uncolored. They take the color of the light source which is connected to them.

    Now add in a couple of digital controls, and you'll be able to flash colors like a cuttlefish

    --
    "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
  5. Self-cleaning clothes? Think Alec Guinness... by hyacinthus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...playing _The Man in the White Suit_, one of the old Ealing comedies from the fifties. Guinness plays a scientist who comes up with a fabric which doesn't wear out and doesn't ever stain or get dirty. He ends up in hot water both with the textile and clothing manufacturers who don't like the idea of garments that don't need constant replacement, and with the textile workers' unions because they're afraid that Guinness's invention is going to put them out of work. Complications ensue.

    hyacinthus (who thinks the whole idea of wearing a computer or even carrying one in a pocket is pretty daft. Even my watch is mechanical--and it's lasted about twice or three times as long as any digital watch I've owned.)