Presented by:

SHANTI KUMARI
TEXTILE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
B. Tech (3rd yr. , 6th Semester)
Roll No. : 08110014016
 Introduction
 Smart textiles introduces a shift from passive
functionality to active behaviour.
 It is the result of the integration of microelectronics in
textiles to endow materials with new properties.
 The production of smart textiles is now a reality after a
successful marriage of traditional textiles and clothing
technology with other branches of science like material
science, structural mechanics, sensor and actuator
technology, advance processing
technology, communication, artificial
intelligence, biology etc.
 Smart textiles are defined as textiles that can sense and
react via an active control mechanism to
environmental conditions or stimuli from
mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or magnetic
sources.
 Passive Smart Textile
Can only sense the environment
These are sensors
 Active Smart Textile
 Can sense and react to the environmental
stimuli
 These are sensors and actuators
 Ultra Smart Textile
 Can sense, react and adapt themselves to
environment
 Cognition, reasoning and activating
capacities
Functions of smart textiles
 Sensing
 Data processing
 Actuation
 Storage
 Communication
 Sensing
 Basically , sensing is the function of transforming a
signal into another signal that can be read and
understood by a predefined reader which can be a real
device or a person.
 For real devices all the signals should be ultimately
converted into electrical ones.
 Thermocouple, quantum tunneling composite( based
on softswitch technology), fibre bragg grating sensors(
basically optical fibres) are used to convert the signals
into electrical ones.
Data processing
 Data processing is one of the components that are
required only when active processing is necessary
 Problems need to be overcome before imparting textile
material for this function are : fastness to washing,
deformation, interconnections, etc.
 So far, pieces of electronics are used for data
processing which are now available in miniaturised
and even in a flexible form.
Actuation
 Actuators respond to an impulse resulting from sensor
function , possibly data processing.
 Actuators make things move , release substances, make
noise and many more.
 Shape memory material, drug supply system(emitting
substances) are the best suiting examples in this field.
Storage
 Sensing, data processing, actuation, communication,
they usually need energy, mostly electrical energy.
 For efficient energy management there should be an
appropriate combination of energy supply and energy
storage capacity.
 Here sources of energy are-- instance body heat,
mechanical motion (elastic from deformation of the
fabrics, kinetic from body motion), radiation, etc.
 Phase change materials or PCM acts as energy storage.
Communication
 It may be required
 Within one element of a suit---optical fibres,
conductive yarns
 Between the individual elements within the suit---

optical fibres, conductive yarns

 From the wearer to the suit to pass instructions---
optical fibres
 From the suit to the wearer or his environment to
pass information---wireless connection i.e.
antenna manufactured in textile material
 Thermo regulating material
 Chromic materials
 Luminescent materials
 Conductive material
 Voltaic materials
Electronic textiles
Etc…
Paraffin phase change material
Acts as a storage of heat in
garments.
Provide a thermal balance
between the heat generated by
the body while engaging in a
sport and the heat released into
the environment.
PCMs are applied either in spinning or during chemical
finishing of textiles like coating, lamination etc.
 Change their colour reversibly
according to external environmental
conditions
 Photochromic: external stimulus is
light.
 Thermochromic: external stimulus is
heat.
 Electrochromic: external stimulus is
electricity.
 Piezorochromic: external stimulus is
pressure.
 Solvatechromic: external stimulus is
liquid or gas.
 Emits lights according to external
environmental conditions
 Photoluminescence: external
stimulus is light
 Electroluminescence: external
stimulus is electricity
 Chemioluminescence: external
stimulus is a chemical reaction
 Triboluminescence: external
stimulus is friction
 Function: It conducts electricity.
 Properties: Light
weight, flexible, cost competitive
with ability to be
crimped, soldered and subjected
to textile processing.
 Preparation: It can be made by
filling synthetic fibres with
carbon or metal particles, coating
fibres with conductive polymers
or using conductive short fibres.
 Storage of energy for electronic
parts
 Use of solar cells
 Photovoltaic materials possess
the property to generate electric
current by means of a light
excitation.
 Research underway to produce
and store electricity from body
movements and wrist rotation
 These are materials with
electronic functionality and at the
same time textile characteristics.
 Advantages: Light weight,
durable, washable, integratable
with human body.
 Examples---
 Smart shirt
 The sensory Baby Vest
 The respibelt
 The wearable computer
Areas of R & D
 For sensors - actuators:
 photo-sensitive material
 chemical responsive materials
 micro- and nano-materials

 For signal transmission, processing and

control:
 neural networks and control systems
 cognition theory and systems
 For integrated processes and products:
 tissue engineering
 chemical/drug releasing
Textiles are changing day by day and this hybridisation of
textiles with other branches of science has been most
welcome by all. It has shifted the consumer value ---
instead of wanting the finest natural material, people
look at the engineered beauty, innovative design and
intelligent aspect of product.
So, if smart textile are affordable I think they will be
accepted by the user as part of his everyday life…
I d welcome any questions and
remarks.....