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5. E-textiles

Research

describe what you see in this image

E-textiles, or electronic textiles, are fabrics that integrate digital components and electronics directly into the material. These textiles merge fashion design, engineering, and technology, enabling garments to sense, react, and communicate with the wearer or environment. From light-up performance costumes to biometric fitness shirts, e-textiles represent the intersection of creativity and science in modern fashion.

Early Research Foundations

The foundation of e-textiles can be traced back to research collaborations between MIT Media Lab, NASA, and universities in Europe and Japan in the 1990s. Their goal was to create wearable computers that could collect and transmit data without hindering comfort or mobility. Early experiments used conductive threads, microcontrollers, and soft circuits sewn into clothing.

This period gave rise to the idea that garments could serve as both fashion statements and interfaces for technology — inspiring new disciplines like wearable computing and smart fabrics.

Innovations Driving the Field

Research in e-textiles continues to expand across multiple domains: • Conductive Materials: Silver-coated fibers, graphene, and carbon nanotubes make it possible to conduct electricity while remaining soft and washable. • Energy Generation: Solar-powered fibers and kinetic-energy textiles allow garments to self-charge or power small devices. • Health and Wellness: E-textiles now monitor heart rate, respiration, muscle activity, and hydration, often connected to smartphone apps for real-time analysis. • Fashion and Performance: Designers use LED threads and flexible circuits to create garments that light up, change color, or respond to sound and motion.

References & Inspiration

  1. Hussein Chalayan

A pioneer in techno-fashion, Chalayan’s collections have featured transforming garments — dresses that change shape, light up, or move autonomously using embedded motors and sensors. His work explores identity, migration, and movement through technology as performance art.

describe what you see in this image. Photo from www.waldemeyer.com

  1. CuteCircuit

describe what you see in this image Photo from CuteCircuit.com

This London-based brand creates interactive LED garments and social media–connected clothing. Their iconic “Twitter Dress” displayed live tweets across an illuminated textile surface. Celebrities such as Katy Perry and Nicole Scherzinger have worn their pieces on stage.

  1. Pauline van Dongen

A Dutch designer blending functionality and sustainability, van Dongen has produced solar-powered jackets, illuminated running gear, and textiles that harvest energy. Her work shows how wearable technology can enhance everyday life.

describe what you see in this image Photo from Pauline van Dongen.com

Tools

- [Arduino IDE]
- [Lilypad Protosnap]

Process and workflow

My sketches are ...

Arduino IDE

Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is the software you use to:

✅ Write code ✅ Check (compile) code ✅ Upload code to Arduino/LilyPad boards

It’s the interface between thw computer and the microcontroller on a board... i.e., LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus

How to Upload 1. Tools → Board → LilyPad Arduino USB 2. Tools → Port → select LilyPad 3. Click Verify ✔️ 4. Click Upload ➡️

Analog soft sensor Pressure changes resistance → Arduino reads a range (0–1023).

Materials • Velostat (pressure-sensitive plastic) • Aluminum foil • Green felt • 10kΩ resistor • Alligator clips • Multimeter

Build (sandwich) 1. Cut: • 2 conductive fabric squares (ex: 1.5” × 1.5”) • 1 Velostat square (same size) 2. Stack: • Velostat / aluminum foil 3. Stitch one conductive fabric to +5V path, the other to A0 path. 4. Add the 10kΩ resistor from A0 to GND (this makes a voltage divider). 5. Add felt on both sides and stitch around edges to keep layers aligned.

Code Example

Use the three backticks to separate code.

const int sensorPin = A0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  int v = analogRead(sensorPin);
  Serial.println(v);
  delay(50);
}

Results

Watch the video

Digital soft sensor Acts like a button made of fabric: pressed = ON, released = OFF. This is the digital sensor because it outputs HIGH/LOW. We test the Lilypad Protosnap with the Blink code through Arduino IDE.

Materials • Foam strip • LED • Self-adhesive copper tape • 3 V coin battery • Self-adhesive Velcro tabs

Build • Prepare the Foam strip- Cut a strip of foam long and wide enough to fit around the wrist comfortably  • Attach the LED- Insert the LED light through the foam and fold the leads flat on the back  • Form the Battery Pouch- Use copper tape and a small foam rectangle to build a pouch that holds the coin battery and makes electrical contact with both LED leads • Close the Bracelet- Use Velcro tabs to close the battery pouch and fasten the ends of the bracelet so it fits securely • Wear and Test- Place the battery in the pouch (positive side to positive lead, negative to negative) and secure the bracelet — the LED should light when the circuit is complete

Code Example

// LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus - Blink Test

void setup() { pinMode(A7, OUTPUT); }

void loop() { digitalWrite(A7, HIGH); // LED ON delay(1000); // wait 1 second digitalWrite(A7, LOW); // LED OFF delay(1000); // wait 1 second }

Results

Watch the video

Integrate the two soft sensors

This attachment combines both analog and digital soft sensors to create interactive behavior. An analog light sensor detects changes in ambient light and triggers the heart LED in darker conditions, while a digital soft switch allows the user to activate or control the interaction through touch. Together, these sensors enable the piece to respond to both environmental conditions and user input, transforming it into a responsive soft system.

Watch the video

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