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Apple Receives a New Patent For 'Smart Fabric' (dwell.com)
MikeChino writes: Is Apple branching out into clever clothing? On January 1, 2019, the tech giant was awarded an original design patent for "Fabric." First filed for in September 2016, the "Fabric" patent shows a swatch of a ridged material in gray, dark gray, and white to represent contrasting appearances. Apple has filed for several patents in the last few years related to combining technology with fabric, but this is the first glimpse we've had at what that fabric might look like. The "smart" fabric could sense environmental changes, warn the wearer of various events, and/or respond to pressure and touch.
As Dwell notes, "Apple's other fabric-related patents have involved a jacket that sends tactile or audible signals to visually and hearing impaired users -- so they can walk around without a cane or guide dog -- and a force-sensing fabric with interwoven circuits that could be used in a glove to track a wearer's vital signs and control devices wirelessly."
As Dwell notes, "Apple's other fabric-related patents have involved a jacket that sends tactile or audible signals to visually and hearing impaired users -- so they can walk around without a cane or guide dog -- and a force-sensing fabric with interwoven circuits that could be used in a glove to track a wearer's vital signs and control devices wirelessly."
The "smart" fabric could sense environmental changes, warn the wearer of various events
You mean like when it's cold outside?
I already have a sensor for that.
No sig today...
If Apple actually did anything with all these patents besides hinder innovation?
Since pretty much every issue includes prior art of makers creating fabric items with electronic sensors for exactly these purposes.
Imagine making sentient fabric then weaving it into an IT janitor's underwear?
We hear about these Apple patents all the time, but they never seem to turn into any type of product.
I think anybody can pretty much patent anything.
I always thought that Apple Inc. was more of a fashion retailer than a tech company, i.e. over-priced electronic jewellery, accessories, & tabletop furnishings. Probably, the only thing holding them back from going "full fashion" is the fact that copyright & patents are meaningless in the world of fashion design; The only thing it protects is trademarks. Can anyone name an actually manufactured & retailed Apple "innovation" that wasn't bought or copied from somewhere else? e.g. https://images.mentalfloss.com...
Debate is a form of harassment. Do not question my truth.
Cleverer than the people who'll be buying it, the "iPhone" and the "smart watch" crowd.
I would just like to take a moment to wish a Happy Investigation Day to all. Well, at least 66% of the country. The rest can go fuck themselves cuz they still think it's about her.
If "they" don't already have it.
It will be available in the choice of black turtleneck sweater.
In the first article, except for the title, there were no quotes of anyone saying that the fabric was smart. The article said that Apple had gotten a patent for "Fabric", and the article assumed that the fabric was smart. In the second article, there was no mention of "smart" at all.
Maybe the fabric isn't smart, in the sense of making decisions or communicating.
I wonder if the fabric uses the motions of you walking and moving your arms, to generate a small electric current that can charge your phone.
I used to work in this end of the medical devices field (non-invasive therapy equipment stuff) and it is not going to be the boon Apple seems to think it will be. The reason for this is that there is only so much you can do by non-invasively measuring temperature, pressure and electrical signals from a patient. For example, we have known how to do ECG for a really long time now. It is not expensive. If there was a general benefit to performing periodic ECGs of the population en-mass this could have easily been done by now. The reality is that there is not that much benefit, so even the best healthcare systems in the world don't bother doing it.
Again, with fall detection alarms. There are plenty of these products around and they have been a thing for at least 20-30 years. I had a friend who started a company doing this back in the late 90s. The reality is that those who need them already have one, and in many cases it will have been paid for by the government or their insurance. I doubt those who cannot afford one will be able to fork out for an Apple Watch instead. For myself, I would also rather trust a dedicated system (these things had to have failsafe circuitry in the base station and backup power etc) than a consumer electronics device that needs to be recharged each night. Sure, as an extra its great, but it isn't going to shake up the industry.
The other problem with these products is that there is no real 'market' for them. Basically the industry is a whole series of kickbacks between physicians, insurers and manufacturers in an attempt to get your product 'recommended' to the customer. Almost none of these customers pay for the things out of pocket, and almost all will choose based on what their physician says is best. Hence the whole industry is about networking and kickbacks. I doubt Apple will take the time to deal with all this, and unless they can replace doctors as the patient's point of contact, they aren't going to be able to sweep through the industry and clear out the graft.
"The 'smart' fabric could sense environmental changes, warn the wearer of various events, and/or respond to pressure and touch."
Subway pervert uses for such fabric would seem to be almost limitless. For less specialized porn applications, of course, one would remove "almost" from the previous sentence.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
visually and hearing impaired users -- so they can walk around without a cane or guide dog
Put on this suit and you no longer need to see or hear? Hopefully it works out better than the original Apple Maps.
what poor company apple stole/copied this idea from?
TFS makes it clear that this is a design patent. TFA makes it even clearer, when it says the "Fabric" patent is a claim on an "ornamental design for a fabric,". This is not a patent on technology, it's a patent on a design. Nobody else can make smart fabric that looks like Apple's. So what? Change the weave, add a pattern, change the color even, and now the patent doesn't apply.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The things covered by this patent have been done for years by makers enthusiasts and has spun since then an entire cottage industry (with shops like Adafruits catering to the specific needs such as microcontroller small and light enough to be sewed in).
So:
- Apple hasn't managed to hinder the development of cloths with micro-controller sewed in.
- How the hell did Apple get a patent granted on this ? This has been publicly discussed in forums for ages. Unless they have filed a submarine patent a decade ago...
- Great, hordes of Apple Fanboy swooning at some "iShirt(tm)", exactly what the world lacked.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
This fabric will be woven into the finest garment for our illustrious Emperor Tim Cook. And the people will gaze upon the emperor's new clothes in amazement.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
The local TV news stations are gonna be all over that.
I mean Apple has practically made computers, MP3 players, and phones fashion items. Now they're going to do the same thing with clothes? Let's keep fashion and style out of such an important commodity! We don't want clothes that cost a huge amount of money just because they have a logo on them, or have some distinctive, but not very practical, look to them.
What next? Shoes?
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
"My compliments to you. And to your dressmaker." - Spock to Miranda, upon realizing that she is blind,
Fun fact: When Jessica Walter, the original actress proposed for the role of Miranda Jones became unavailable and a search for a replacement was fruitless, director Ralph Senensky recommended Diana Muldaur for the role, since they'd worked together the previous season in "Return to Tomorrow" and also in an episode of I, Spy. According to Senensky there was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different roles (a claim refuted by the large number of actors who did, in fact, return to the series in multiple roles). This problem was solved by having Muldaur wear a black wig, creating a different appearance for the actress. After viewing the rushes, co-producer Robert H. Justman walked out of the screening room saying, "I wonder how she looks in a red wig", jokingly referring to another possible appearance by Muldaur in a potential fourth season.
Finally something that will put a new meaning to "Wardrobe Malfunction"
Can't wait till Tim tells people they're wearing it wrong