Output details

Operative Devices installed in yarns

This output is composed of a patent, Dias, T. et. al. ‘Operative Devices installed in yarns’; EP1882059, granted in the EU on the 07th July 2010, (international publication WO2006/123133) that describes Dias’ contribution to smart and electronic textiles fields, specifically the design of a new generation of textiles with an electronic functionality which can be machine washed and tumble dried. The IP is also protected under US2009/0139198 (pending).

Dias led a multidisciplinary research team of an electronics engineer and a mechanical engineer to pioneer the development of a core technology platform to embed semi-conductor devices within the fibres of a yarn, in a manner that these yarns can be processed by the conventional textile and garment manufacturing industries without any modifications to current production machines. The inclusion of any electronics is not visible to the naked eye on either face of the fabric.

The subsequent research process has included the design and production of a photonic garment using yarns embedded with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) by a postgraduate student studying for her Master’s degree in the School of Art and Design. This was shown at the Future Textiles exhibition at the Palace of Westminster in December 2012 and was very well received. The work has received press coverage as follows:

http://www.theengineer.co.uk/in-depth/the-big-story/smart-dressing/1015984.article http://creative-boom.com/washable-wearable-computers-to-become-the-next-generation-of-advanced-textiles/

http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/324873-wearable-electronics-comes-closer-the-consumer-world.htm

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a454572/wearable-and-washable-technology-steps-closer-to-reality.html

http://gizmochunk.com/4241/2013/02/02/uk-researchers-bring-wearable-washable-computers-one-step-closer-to-reality/

http://www.swisstextilecollege.ch/research-development/textile-signals-international/213nottingham.html