Radu Dragos

SMART CLOTHING: A NEW LIFE

Abstract After technical textiles and functional textiles, also smart textiles came into force a few years ago. The term smart textiles covers a broad range. The application possibilities are only limited by our imagination and creativity. Hence it is not simple for the readers of the many articles that have been published to distinguish where reality ends and where fiction begins. In this presentation, it is further explored what smart textiles precisely mean. In a second part, an analysis is made of the possibilities, the state of affairs and the needs for further research, including research the Department of Textiles at the Ghent University (Belgium). Introduction The term smart textiles is derived from intelligent or smart materials. The concept Smart Material was for the first time defined in Japan in 1989. The first textile material that, in retroaction, was labelled as a smart textile was silk thread having a shape memory. The continual shrinkage of the textile industry in the Western world has amply raised the interest in intelligent textiles. Smart textile products meet all criteria of high-added value technology allowing a transformation to a competitive high-tech industry: - from resource-based towards knowledge-based; - from quantity to quality; - from mass-produced single-use products to manufactured-on-demand, multi-use and upgradable product-services; - from material and tangible to intangible value-added products, processes and services.

Definition of intelligent clothing What does it mean exactly, smart textiles? Textiles that are able to sense stimuli from the environment, to react to them and adapt to them by integration of functionalities in the textile structure. The stimulus as well as the response can have an electrical, thermal, chemical, magnetic or other origin. Advanced materials, such as breathing, fire-resistant or ultrastrong fabrics, are according to this definition not considered as intelligent, no matter how high-technological they might be. The extent of intelligence can be divided in three subgroups: 1. Passive smart textiles can only sense the environment, they are sensors; 2. Active smart textiles can sense the stimuli from the environment and also react to them, besides the sensor function, they also have an actuator function; 3. Finally, very smart textiles take a step further, having the gift to adapt their behaviour to the circumstances. On principle, two components need to be present in the textile structure in order to bear the full mark of smart textiles: a sensor and an actuator, possibly completed with a processing unit which drives the actuator on the basis of the signals from the sensor. 5 functions can be distinguished in an intelligent suit, namely: 1. Sensors The basis of a sensor is that it transforms a signal into another signal that can be read and understood by a predefined reader, which can be a real device or a person. The senses of a person are well known: eyes, ears, touch, nose, taste. As for real devices, ultimately most signals are being transformed into electric ones. Electroconductive materials are consequently of utmost importance with respect to intelligent textiles. Of course, apart from technical considerations, concepts, materials, structures and treatments must be focusing on the appropriateness for use in or as a textile material. This includes criteria like flexibility, water (laundry) resistance, durability against deformation, radiation etc.

2. Data processing Data processing is one of the components that are required only when active processing is necessary. So far, no textile materials are available that can perform this task. Pieces of electronics are still necessary. However, they are available in miniaturised and even in a flexible form. 3. Actuators Actuators respond to an impulse resulting from the sensor function, possibly after data processing. Actuators make things move, they release substances, make noise, and many others. Shape memory materials are the best-known examples in this area. They transform thermal energy into motion. Because of its ability to react to a temperature change, a shape memory alloy can be used as an actuator and links up perfectly with the requirements imposed to smart textiles. Shape memory alloys exist in the form of threads, which makes them compatible with textile materials. 4. Storage Smart suits often need some storage capacity. Storage of data or energy is most common. Sensing, data processing, actuation, communication, they usually need energy, mostly electrical power. Efficient energy management will consist of an appropriate combination of energy supply and energy storage capacity. 5. Communication For intelligent textiles, communication has many faces: communication may be required Within one element of a suit, Between the individual elements within the suit, From the wearer to the suit to pass instructions, From the suit to the wearer or his environment to pass information. Smart Textiles at the Department of Textiles at the Ghent University The research concerning smart textiles at Ghent University focuses on the development of textile sensors for medical purpose. These sensors will be used for monitoring heart rate and respiration on children in a hospital environment.

It is commonly known that conventional sensors are clearly present and often cause problems when used for long term monitoring (e.g. skin irritation). Textile sensors are developed to overcome these and other inconveniences. The textile sensors, the data handling, the transmission and an alarm function will all be integrated in a suit, called the IntelliTex suit. This imposes special requirements on the electronics: small dimensions, washable packaging, low power consumption etc. Need for further research The potential of intelligent textiles is huge. One can think of many applications for each of the examples given above. The other way around, starting from an application, the basic concepts have to be defined and evaluated for their use in or as a textile product. Selection of materials, structures and production technologies are the first step in the design. The actual research phase will be long and hard for many cases. Basic items that need to be addressed to come to a real breakthrough and to innovation are: - transformation and conversion mechanisms to define the basic concept; - new materials; - new structures that can offer the requested functions. Smart clothing can be interpreted in a broad sense. It involves for example wearable smart textiles meant for medical applications, designed to fulfil certain functions, but apart from that without any fringes. Also casual clothing is possible, which is expected to be functional as well as fashionable. It also embraces sports clothing, where the comfort factor is even more critical. Finally, smart textiles could be sold as a gadget, where the intelligent character will be more an accessory. Initially, smart clothing will find applications in those fields where the need for monitoring and actuation can be of vital importance, such as a medical environment, and with vulnerable population groups, in space travel and the military. However, as experience and familiarity will increase and hence breaking down barriers, the field of application will in the long term definitely widen to more daily applications such as sports and leisure, the work environment and so on.

Researchers at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid have created an intelligent eT-shirt that monitores our heart rates at all times. It is intended for hospital use, to make it easier on doctors to monitor their patients. Also, its not just for your heart. The shirt is embedded with electrodes that monitor its wearers vitals, and a removable thermometer and accelerometer for the collection of temperature and positioning data. This has already been tested in a hospital in Madrid and it passed with flying colors.

In conclusion Textiles are present everywhere and any time. No one ever leaves the house without having been occupied with textiles. The economic value and impact of textiles is gigantic. The advent of smart textiles makes it possible to bring the traditional textile sector to a level of high-technological industry. Moreover, it appears that this is only possible by intense co-operation between people from various backgrounds and disciplines. Technology domains such as biotechnology, computer science, microelectronics, polymer chemistry, material science look at textile possibilities from another point of view. The development of smart textiles starts to come at cruise speed. A part of the new materials and structures have already reached the stage of commercialisation, a much larger part however is still in full development or still has to be invented even.

Bibliography: http://www.crunchwear.com/et-shirt-from-spain-is-good-for-heart-just-like-that-magicalfruit/ http://www.iafnet.com/files/iaf_03_presentations/Smart%20Clothing-%20a%20new %20life.pdf