Image credit: University of Washington via GE Reports
Researchers at the Paul G. Allen School at the University of Washington have developed smart fabric that doesn’t require any electronics. The key is the conductive thread. Binary strings of information are encoded using the magnetic properties of the thread, and that information is then decoded using an app. It can also be used to transmit images. The resulting fabric can be washed, dried, and ironed without compromising the data – or at least, inasmuch as it has been tested so far. The researchers tested it out using gesture control. They proposed applications for security such as using one’s sleeve or jewelry instead of a swipe card.
Filed Under: Materials • advanced