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5. E-textiles

Research

The history of smart textiles—also known as e-textiles or intelligent fabrics—can be traced back to the late 20th century, when advances in material science, electronics, and computing began to merge with traditional textile manufacturing. Early developments in the 1980s and 1990s focused on embedding conductive fibers and sensors into fabrics for military and medical applications, such as monitoring soldiers’ vital signs or patients’ physiological data. One of the earliest examples was the “Wearable Motherboard,” developed in the 1990s at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which integrated optical fibers into clothing for health monitoring. As microelectronics became smaller, more flexible, and energy-efficient, the 2000s saw the rise of commercial interest in smart fabrics for sportswear, fashion, and everyday technology. Companies and research institutions explored ways to create fabrics that could sense, react, and even adapt to environmental conditions. Today, smart textiles encompass a broad range of innovations—from self-heating and color-changing materials to fabrics that generate energy or connect to digital networks—reflecting the ongoing convergence of textiles, nanotechnology, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This evolution marks a shift from passive garments to interactive, responsive systems that redefine the relationship between humans, technology, and clothing.

References & Inspiration

I have been deeply inspired by Kasia Molga and her innovative approach to creating interactive and responsive garments, as well as by the artist behind Tapis Magique, whose work integrates smart textiles with choreography. Molga’s creations captivate me because they transform garments into living systems that react to the wearer’s body and environment, turning technology into a tool for emotional and sensory expression. Similarly, Tapis Magique fascinates me for how it bridges the worlds of movement and technology, using smart fabrics to visualize the dialogue between the human body and its surroundings through dance. Both artists push the boundaries of what textiles can do, showing that fabric can not only clothe or protect us but also communicate, move, and respond in deeply expressive ways. Their work inspires me to explore how electronic textiles can become a medium of artistic collaboration between human gesture, material, and technology.

Kasia Molga clothes that reacts to polution

Left Kasia Molga wearable costumes that respond to air pollution levels.

Tapis Magique interactive coreograph


Right Tapis Magique is a pressure-sensitive, knitted electronic textile carpet that generates three-dimensional sensor data based on body gestures and drives an immersive sonic environment in real-time..


Image reference: Cute Circuit brand creates clothes that light up because of music

Assignment

  • Build at least one digital and one analog soft sensor.
  • Document the sensor project as well as the readings got using the Analog Read of Arduino.
  • Integrate the two soft sensors into one or two textile swatches using hard soft connections.
  • Document the circuit and its schematics.
  • Document your swatches/samples.
  • Upload your Arduino code as text.
  • Upload a small video of the swatches functioning.
  • Integrate the swatch into a project (extra credit).

Tools & Components

  • Arduino UNO
  • Arduino IDE 2.3.6
  • Multimeter
  • Conductive thread
  • Snaps
  • Fabric

Process and workflow

To connect a basic switch circuit, start by identifying your power source in this case a battery, a LED, and the switch. Connect one terminal of the battery to one terminal of the switch using a wire. Then, connect the other terminal of the switch to one side of the LED. Finally, connect the other side of the LED back to the remaining terminal of the battery, completing the circuit. When the switch is turned on, it closes the circuit and allows current to flow, lighting the LED; when turned off, it opens the circuit and stops the current.

  • 1.- Textile Button - Digital Input
  • 2.- Textile Pressure Sensor - Analog Input
  • 3.- Programming with Arduino - Digital Sensor Led
  • 4.- Programming with Arduino - Analog Sensor Led

Digital and Analog buttons testing continuity with the multimeter


Using felt, aluminium paper and velostat, I created an analog pressure sensor (left picture) and a digital button in the right, without the velostat.


This schemes were obtained from Emma Pareschi Arduino tutorials

Digital Switch Serial Monitor using Arduino, scheme, circuit and output

Digital Sensor and a Led using Arduino, scheme, and circuit

Analog Sensor and a Led using Arduino, scheme, and output

Code

int digital_sensor_pin = 8;
int digital_sensor_value = 0;

Sketch_Digital_Sensor

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
pinMode(digital_sensor_pin, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
digital_sensor_value = digitalRead(digital_sensor_pin);
Serial.println(digital_sensor_value);
delay(100);
}


Sketch_Digital_Sensor_Led

int digital_sensor_pin = 8;
int digital_sensor_value = 0;
int led_pin = 3;


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
pinMode(digital_sensor_pin, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(led_pin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
 digital_sensor_value = digitalRead(digital_sensor_pin);

 if(digital_sensor_value ==HIGH){
    digitalWrite(led_pin, HIGH);
  }
  else {
     digitalWrite(led_pin, LOW);
     }
}

Sketch_Analog_Sensor_Led

int analog_sensor_pin = A0;
int analog_sensor_value = 0;
int led_pin = 3;


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
pinMode(analog_sensor_pin, INPUT);
pinMode(led_pin, OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
 analog_sensor_value = analogRead(analog_sensor_pin);
 analog_sensor_value = map(analog_sensor_value, 230, 130, 0, 255);
 analog_sensor_value = constrain(analog_sensor_value, 0, 255);

 analogWrite(led_pin, analog_sensor_value);
 Serial.println(analog_sensor_value);
 delay(10); 
}

Results - swatches samples


Video

From Vimeo

ArduinoUno Analog Sensor Led Test

ArduinoUno Analog Button Test


## Challenges and Observations Working with sensors and programming Arduino was quite interesting. I was particularly attracted by using the zipper as a switch. However, it was challenging because at my first attempt I sew the conductive thread so tight and close the zipper than it could not be opened, the second time it was far from the zipper that it could not be conductive.

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