e - t e x t i l e s¶
E-textiles, also known as electronic textiles, mark the intersection of art, technology, and human experience, offering a new frontier in how we interact with the world through fabric. By weaving conductive materials and sensors into textiles, we can create garments that not only cover and protect but also sense, communicate, and transform. This blending of technology and textile art opens possibilities in medicine, where smart fabrics can monitor vital signs, deliver therapy, or assist in rehabilitation, seamlessly integrated into the body’s movements.
The roots of e-textiles can be traced back to early pioneers like Maggie Orth and Joanna Berzowska, who challenged the boundaries of art, engineering, and design by embedding electronics into fabrics. Orth’s explorations with textile-based electronic art in the 1990s demonstrated how technology could be used to create responsive, interactive pieces. Berzowska, through her groundbreaking work on computational textiles, expanded the conversation into wearable art, developing fabrics that could change color, emit light, or record data.
In medicine, these principles are applied to create wearable health monitors or smart prosthetics, designed to respond to the needs of patients in real time. Imagine a fabric that detects a change in heart rate or a garment that aids in physical therapy by responding to muscle movement—these innovations lie at the heart of e-textiles' potential to fuse utility with beauty.
E-textiles represent a new canvas for artists and engineers alike, where the threads of tradition, craft, and innovation come together to shape the future of both fashion and function.
i n s p i r a t i o n¶
** FABRICADEMY BOOTCAMP: E-TEXTILE WORKSHOP
My first inspiration in e-textiles came during the Fabricademy Bootcamp 2024, when Emma Pareschi led a workshop that introduced us to the basics of electronics in such a simple and approachable way. Emma started by explaining the fundamental concepts of electronics and then walked us through some of the most straightforward techniques.
It was exciting to see how something as familiar as fabric could be transformed into interactive circuits using conductive materials. Her hands-on approach made the whole process feel accessible and opened up so many creative possibilities for blending craft with technology.
TEXTILE MESSAGES
My second inspiration in e-textiles came from the book "Textile Messages: Dispatches From the World of E-Textiles and Education." This collection of essays, edited by Leah Buechley, Kylie Peppler, Michael Eisenberg, and Yasmin Kafai, was a fun and eye-opening introduction to the creative possibilities of blending electronics with fabric.
What I loved about the book was how it showed e-textiles as this cool mix of craft, technology, and learning. It wasn’t just about making high-tech clothes—it was about taking everyday materials like fabric and thread and turning them into something interactive. The projects in the book showed how people can sew circuits, program LEDs, and even make wearable sensors, all while learning how tech works in a really hands-on, approachable way.
The idea that anyone could use e-textiles to learn and create while also having fun is what really clicked for me. It sparked my interest in exploring how fabrics could be used to make tech more playful and accessible.
COMPUTATIONAL FABRICS
My next big inspiration in the world of e-textiles came from my research about MIT's Computer Fabrics class, taught by Yoel Fink. In the video, Fink discusses how exciting it is to change the aesthetics of technology, blending the look and feel of textiles with cutting-edge functionality. The idea of fabrics that could be both beautiful and high-tech instantly caught my attention, showing me how textiles could transform into something more interactive and dynamic.
The video touches on how fabrics are evolving to become smarter and more responsive, with potential uses in everything from wearable tech that senses the environment to fabrics that can communicate or power devices. This sparked my curiosity to explore how e-textiles could go beyond fashion and be applied to solving real-world challenges in areas like healthcare, sustainability, and communication—all while remaining aesthetically appealing. This glimpse into MIT’s approach made me excited about the future of textiles and their role in innovation, fueling my ideas for how I could bring these concepts into my own projects.
WEAVING MEMORY INTO TEXTILES
In my latest research on e-textiles, I came across a fascinating project by Chloé Bensahel, an artist who blends textiles with technology in innovative ways. One of the most inspiring aspects of her work is the exploration of weaving as a form of communication. During her time at MIT, Bensahel was introduced to objects woven with conductive yarn and magnetic pieces, which were used for space missions. These items are part of a rich history, connecting the decline of the textile industry in New England with the rise of space research. Women who had been laid off from textile mills were employed by MIT to weave these groundbreaking magnetic core memory objects, a technology used to store data visibly. This merging of traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge computing is something that really captured my imagination.
What’s especially intriguing about Bensahel’s work is how she continues to build on this legacy, creating textiles that not only carry information but also respond to it. Working with Zach Lieberman at the MIT Media Lab, she explores the intersection of materiality, electronics, and language, weaving fabrics that can interact with their environment.
SUNTEX
Pauline van Dongen’s work has been a significant discovery for me in the world of e-textiles. Her projects, like the “Solar Shirt,” which incorporates solar panels into fabric, show how fashion can be both innovative and sustainable. She seamlessly blends technology with design, creating clothing that not only looks beautiful but also serves a purpose—such as generating energy from the sun.
This approach makes me think about how textiles can be transformed into interactive, functional pieces that enhance our daily lives. Her work has inspired me to explore the potential of e-textiles as a fusion of creativity, sustainability, and technology.
e l e c t r o n i c s . e x p e r i e n c e¶
My journey into the world of electronics began with Fab Academy.
During the Electronics Design week at Fab Academy, I immersed myself in understanding the principles of circuit design and electronic components. I explored various design tools, particularly focusing on the importance of schematics and how they serve as the backbone of electronic projects. I gained hands-on experience in using KiCad to create schematics and PCB layouts, allowing me to visualize and refine my ideas before production.
In the subsequent Electronics Production week, I translated my designs into physical circuits. I learned how to utilize different production techniques, including milling PCBs and soldering components, to bring my ideas to life. The hands-on experience of fabricating the PCBs was particularly rewarding, as it reinforced the connection between design and implementation. I also explored the significance of testing and debugging, which are crucial steps in the production process.
Throughout my journey, I worked extensively with various Input and Output devices, which further enriched my experience.
This journey provided me with a solid foundation in electronics, yet I recognized a desire to explore further. My interest was piqued by flexible sensors, which I hadn’t encountered in depth before. This week in Fabricademy allowed me to explore the innovative potential of these sensors, learning how they can be integrated into various projects to enhance interactivity and responsiveness.
f l e x i b l e . s e n s o r s¶
l i k e . a . s p i d e r¶
Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. For this project, it was the delicate architecture of a spider’s web that sparked my imagination. A spider’s web is more than just a trap for insects—it’s a communication system. I set out to replicate that elegant sensitivity with a stretch sensor—one that could capture and respond to tension, much like a web does.
THE CONCEPT: CREATING A RESPONSIVE WEB
The core idea of my project was to use a resistive thread to simulate the spider web’s sensitivity to external stimuli. Instead of detecting the weight or movement of an insect, my web would sense the stretching or deformation of the thread. The stretch sensor, made from the resistive thread, would serve as the primary input device, transforming physical deformation into a readable electronic signal.
The resistive thread functions by changing its electrical resistance when stretched. When in its relaxed state, the thread has a low resistance, but as it stretches, the resistance increases. This characteristic allows for dynamic changes in the input signal, which I can read as analog values.
My goal was to create a system that would interpret these analog signals and convert them into sound frequencies using a piezo speaker. The stretch of the thread would trigger changes in frequency, much like how a spider receives vibrations through its web. As a result, the project would essentially transform physical movement or deformation into auditory feedback, offering an interactive and responsive output.
EMBROIDERY MEETS ELECTRONICS: MEASURING RESISTANCE IN MOTION
Once my embroidery was complete, it was time to see how well my "web" could capture changes in tension. I connected crocodile clips (also known as alligator clips) to the resistive threads and linked them to an oscilloscope. The moment I started stretching the fabric, I could see the changes in resistance visualized on the screen.
I added a pull-up resistor to my circuit. Its purpose was not to "stabilize" in the sense of keeping the values predictable but to ensure that my sensor had a consistent baseline. Without the pull-up resistor, the readings from the analog sensor would drift, giving unreliable data. The resistor essentially pulls the voltage toward a known state, ensuring that when the sensor isn’t being actively stretched, it returns to a logical and measurable baseline. This made the readings much cleaner, giving me consistent values to work with.
CAPTURING SIGNALS: CONNECTING THE SENSOR TO ARDUINO
With my resistive web now providing reliable data, the next step was to capture and interpret those signals using an Arduino board. The Arduino’s job was to read the fluctuating resistance values as analog signals, translating the tension in my fabric into a digital language that I could manipulate in code.
To start, I turned to ChatGPT for some basic Arduino code to read analog signals. I edited the code to map the sensor values properly, making sure the right pins were assigned, and adjusting the ranges so that the Arduino could understand the changes in resistance effectively.
I spent some time playing with the sensor and tweaking the code until I felt confident that I was getting the responses I needed. The sensor was working, but I wanted to go a step further and make the project more portable and wearable.
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: ADAFRUIT FLORA AND PINOUT MAPPING Enter the Adafruit Flora board. Flora is a fantastic platform for wearable electronics. Compact and designed with wearables in mind, it features an ATmega32u4 microcontroller and an embedded NeoPixel LED. Switching from Arduino to Flora was a game-changer for this project, allowing me to miniaturize the sensor and give it more flexibility in terms of wearable applications.
One of the key challenges here was understanding the Flora’s pinout map. Since Flora is much smaller than Arduino, the layout is different, and it’s essential to know which pins to use for input and output. After studying the pinout map, I connected my sensor to the right analog pins and made sure everything was wired correctly.
Once Flora was successfully reading the analog data from my stretch sensor, I moved on to the next stage—turning those signals into something we could hear.
MAKING THE WEB SING: ADDING A PIEZO SPEAKER With the Flora board capturing real-time data from my resistive threads, I wanted to add an auditory element to the project. Inspired by the way spiders "sense" vibrations in their webs, I connected a piezo speaker to the Flora. My goal was to translate the tension in the fabric into sound, much like a spider would "hear" an insect caught in its web.
To make this happen, I wrote a piece of code that mapped the sensor’s analog input to frequencies that the piezo could play. Every stretch of the fabric would now produce a different tone, with the pitch of the sound reflecting the amount of tension in the sensor. This was a thrilling moment—my web was no longer just visual, but it had a voice!
After some experimentation, I fine-tuned the sound to make the contrasts between pitches more pronounced. It wasn’t just a random beep; it became a responsive, interactive soundscape that evolved based on how the sensor was manipulated.
LIGHTING UP THE WEB: NEOPIXEL INTEGRATION
The final touch was adding a visual element to complement the sound. The NeoPixel LED embedded on the Flora board provided the perfect opportunity for this. I modified the code so that the NeoPixel would light up in sync with the piezo’s sound output. Every time the fabric stretched and the piezo produced a sound, the NeoPixel would glow.
But I didn’t stop at just lighting it up. I played with the code to map different sensor values to different colors, creating a multi-sensory experience. Now, as the fabric stretched, not only did the pitch of the sound change, but the NeoPixel shifted through a spectrum of colors, reflecting the level of tension in the web. The result was a dynamic, interactive project that responded to both touch and sound, with visual feedback to enhance the experience.
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
// Pin 12 is where the piezo speaker is connected
const int piezoPin = A7;
// Analog input pin where the sensor is connected
const int sensorPin = A9;
// NeoPixel settings for Flora's onboard NeoPixel
const int neoPixelPin = 8; // Pin for onboard NeoPixel on Flora
const int numPixels = 1; // Only 1 NeoPixel onboard
// Minimum and maximum frequency for the piezo
const int minFrequency = 100; // Adjust based on your needs
const int maxFrequency = 10000; // Adjust based on your needs
// Create a NeoPixel object for the onboard NeoPixel
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(numPixels, neoPixelPin, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
void setup() {
// Set pin 12 as an output for the piezo
pinMode(piezoPin, OUTPUT);
// Initialize the onboard NeoPixel
strip.begin();
strip.show(); // Initialize the pixel to 'off'
// Initialize serial communication at 9600 bps
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop() {
// Read the analog input value from the sensor (0-1023)
int sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin);
// Map the sensor value to a frequency range (minFrequency to maxFrequency)
int frequency = map(sensorValue, 0, 1023, minFrequency, maxFrequency);
// Generate the tone on the piezo connected to pin 12
tone(piezoPin, frequency);
// Map the sensor value to RGB values (0-255)
int red = map(sensorValue, 20, 80, 0, 255);
int green = map(sensorValue, 20, 80, 255, 0); // Reverse green for contrast
int blue = 10; // Fixed blue value
// Set the color of the onboard NeoPixel based on the sensor value
strip.setPixelColor(0, strip.Color(red, green, blue));
// Show the updated color on the onboard NeoPixel
strip.show();
// Print the sensor value and corresponding frequency to the Serial Monitor
Serial.print("Sensor Value: ");
Serial.print(sensorValue);
Serial.print(" | Frequency: ");
Serial.println(frequency);
// Wait a bit before the next loop
delay(100);
}
FUTURE POTENTIAL
This project opens up a wide range of possibilities for future development. The use of flexible sensors like resistive thread offers exciting potential for wearable electronics and responsive designs. For example, the stretch sensor could be integrated into clothing to monitor body movements or postures, providing feedback through sound, light, or even haptic feedback.
Additionally, the concept of using a sensor to mimic natural systems, such as a spider web, can be expanded into other areas. I could explore creating networks of sensors that communicate with each other, simulating more complex interactions found in nature. This project has sparked ideas for creating interactive textile installations or wearables that respond to touch, stretch, or movement in innovative ways.
l i g h t i n g . u p . c i r c u l a r . f a s h i o n¶
For my digital sensor project, I revisited my Circular Fashion design, which was crafted from leather. I decided to elevate the piece by integrating LEDs, adding a technological twist to the fashion design. However, working with leather came with its own set of challenges. Unlike fabric, leather is less forgiving, and sewing with conductive thread on such a stiff material required precision and patience.
My goal was to create a visually striking garment with LEDs, not just as embellishments but as an integrated part of the design.
TINKERCAD: A USEFUL TOOL
Before diving into the hands-on assembly of my digital sensor project, I needed a way to experiment with the circuitry and test out different configurations without the immediate risk of hardware failure or wasted materials. That’s where Tinkercad’s circuit simulation came into play.
Working with delicate materials like conductive thread and copper tape in wearable electronics required precision, and testing every adjustment in real life could have been time-consuming and prone to mistakes. With Tinkercad, I had a safe and accessible space to simulate the circuits I envisioned, bridging the gap between concept and execution.
SEWING WITH CONDUCTIVE THREAD: A CHALLENGING MEDIUM
Sewing conductive thread into leather was much more difficult than working with typical fabrics. Leather doesn’t have the flexibility that fabric does, so I had to plan every stitch carefully to avoid breaking the conductive thread. I connected the legs of each LED using conductive thread, making sure each connection was firm enough to handle the leather’s rigidity but still capable of conducting electricity without short-circuiting.
The choice of leather added a unique aesthetic to the project but required precise stitching to keep the circuit functional.
UNDERSTANDING PARALLEL AND SERIES CONNECTIONS IN FLEXIBLE CIRCUITS
For my project, I incorporated both parallel and series circuits.
In a parallel circuit, all components are connected to the same power source, which allows each LED to receive the full voltage (in this case, 9V). The main benefit is that the brightness of each LED remains constant, as they are not affected by other LEDs in the circuit. The formula to understand this is simple:
This means that each LED chain receives the full 9V.
Unlike parallel, a series circuit shares voltage across components. The total voltage is divided among the LEDs, meaning the further down the chain, the dimmer the lights get:
Where n is the number of LEDs. For a 9V power supply and 4 LEDs, each LED would get:
This setup creates a cascading effect of light, with LEDs dimming as the voltage drops along the chain.
An exciting aspect of my circuit is the incorporation of copper tape on my finger, which acts as a button to turn the lights on and off. By creating a capacitive touch button using the copper tape, I can easily control the lighting effects of my design.
f i n a l . t h o u g h t s¶
Soft circuits offer distinct advantages over traditional printed circuit boards (PCBs). While PCBs provide precision and robustness, soft circuits embrace flexibility and adaptability, enabling a more organic integration into fabric and fashion. This adaptability opens avenues for innovation in smart textiles, where tactile and aesthetic qualities harmonize with technological functionality. Ultimately, my exploration of flexible sensors has deepened my understanding of how they augment our interactions and redefine our relationship with the objects we wear, fostering a more intimate connection between art, technology, and the human experience.