Eleksen Introduces Electro Fabric

DigitalDame2 writes "Eleksen, a small UK-based firm is introducing electronic fabric, essentially carbon-embedded nylon sandwiched between layers of nylon mesh that, when a milliamps charge is passed through it, can recognize touch, pressure and even the direction and path of a stroke. This thin, flexible, and washable fabric connects to a small 8-bit processor, which then can be connected to a standard electronic device like an iPod. Eleksen company executives said the washable fabric can also withstand extreme pressure; they've rolled a car over it without any ill effects."

Comments

If this will be cheap enough...

[sznupi]

I reckon a lot of "amatour" robots will do one of senses much, much better...

This should be quite interesting

[zappepcs]

If this works out like it seems, the sensation of touch will be a big boon to robotics for hobbyists as well as for NASA and other space going enterprises. Touch is one of those things that makes a REALLY big difference in how robots do things. Simple things like flipping a light switch or tightening a bolt use touch, and make them easily done.

so many applications

[TLouden]

of course everybody is thinking they can wear their computer input device now, but what about:

your clothing tells people to back off when they're hitting on you (you can turn it off if you'd like)

clothing that reminds you to get off your ass and do something every once in a while (ok, so some of us could just use a timer for that, but others might be able to take advantage of it)

[real application] hospitals could use help in remembering to shift the appendages of some patients, this could do just that.

posture advisor?

theft detection (is the wallet missing, or better yet, is somebody reaching for it?)

I'll leave military apps to somebody else, too many for me right now.

Applications

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't know about you, but I want a keyboard built into my pants connected to a tiny linux distro pumping through my video glasses with an retinal reader for a mouse. And maybe I can tie this together to pump images through the flexible screen on my t-shirt, or to program messages into my LED belt buckle.

Add a little munifi, and I'll feel like I'm in a Cory Doctorow novel, if not the fucking Matrix.

Any technology sufficiently integrated with style makes us indistinguishable from gods.

Wow

[XMilkProject]

Well I tried to think of something negative about this, but in all honestly it seems to be just awesome!

The company seems legitimate, and they actually have the product in use in retail products already... And they provide an API for programming the chips yourself.

This sounds so cool, I'm going to try to have to get one of those jackets, or some sample of the system for myself!

Cost?

[um_atrain]

How much will this stuff cost?
Is it a resonable production cost, eg: buying a "smart shirt" for $125, or will your be paying a couple hundred to replace the ipod wheel with a small patch of sensitive fabric...

Shocking application

[mister_llah]

""
clothing that reminds you to get off your ass and do something every once in a while (ok, so some of us could just use a timer for that, but others might be able to take advantage of it)
""

Aye, we definately need that... perhaps with some open electrode that actually SHOCKS you if you don't heed the alarm, too... it'd be helpful for those of us who uncontrollably procrastinate!

Re:Extreme pressure?

[NanoGator]

"Extreme pressure" my ass."

Sadly, Terrance and Phillip were unavailable for comment.

Re:Fantastic -- You're both accurate and misleadin

[Anonymous Coward]

Praps you know your maths, but I don't think you are a mechanic! :)

I've had dozens of idiots drive over my feet. 30 psi seems about right... although I've broken every bone in both feet at one time or another, I've never even gotten a cracked toenail from having a car drive over one.

A bigass Lincoln with intact 36 psi tires won't even crack the instep of a mechanic wearing cheap non-steel-toe work boots. HOWEVER, a car running on rims (that is, with a tire that is totally unpressurized) will squinch your toes right off - and if you have on steel toes, you can get your amputated toes packaged right up into a nice little crimped steel box.

Crush strength of normal tire sidewalls is negligible by design. Tire makers work very hard to maximize the ability of the sidewall to hold air and resist icepicks while decreasing rolling resistance of the tire as a whole - the "traveling bulge" gets you better gas mileage.