Researchers from the National University of Singapore have developed a flexible touchscreen embedded in clothing fabric, enabling the display of images and videos, interaction with digital content, and monitoring of certain health indicators, a step that may contribute to the development of smart clothing combining daily use with electronic technologies.
The study, published in the journal Nature, showed that researchers integrated 54 electronic fibers into the sleeve of one garment to form a touchscreen, while maintaining the fabric's flexibility, breathability, and washability. The screen has a resolution of 96 by 54 pixels, can display images and videos at a rate of up to 30 frames per second, responds to touch, and connects wirelessly to other devices.
The team added that relying on integrating precise electronic components inside thin fibers and creating multiple electrical connections within threads with a diameter of about one millimeter allowed embedding electronic functions into the fabric without losing its flexibility. The prototype's functions were not limited to displaying and interacting with content; researchers equipped the screen with a microphone, speaker, and sensors for motion, orientation, temperature, and light.
Tests indicated that the screen largely maintained its performance after undergoing 50 wash cycles and 1,000 bending operations, with air permeability through the fabric continuing. Researchers are currently working on improving the screen's resolution and developing sensing and data processing capabilities, including the use of artificial intelligence technologies, with the aim of expanding smart clothing applications in information display and monitoring certain physiological indicators.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
Comments (0)