1. Smart Textiles – Technology and
Application fields
Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Scheulen
Liège, 30th January 2013

3. Contents
 What are Smart Textiles and how do textiles get “smart”?
 Functional textile material
 Intelligent textile system
 Examples for smart textile applications – the benefits of the technology
 electricity, sensing, heating
 Illumination
 Summary and Conclusion

4. Contents
 What are Smart Textiles and how do textiles get “smart”?
 Functional textile material
 Intelligent textile system
 Examples for smart textile applications – the benefits of the technology
 electricity, sensing, heating
 Illumination
 Summary and Conclusion

5. What are "Smart" Textiles?
?
The term “Smart”
 “Smart” can relate to…
 The integration of electronics into textiles
 Smart Materials (e.g. Phase Change, Shape Memory)
 Functional Finishes (e.g. Lotus Effect, no-iron finishing)
 Functional Clothing (e.g. Gore-Tex®)
 “Smart” = Everything the customer perceives as “smart”
 Norms and standards do not exist (maybe coming soon)
 Pre-norm: “additional specific and functional properties”, regarding to
optical, electrical, mechanical, chemical or thermal stimulus or reaction

6. Smart Textiles – An Introduction
The term “Smart” – Then and Now….and then?
yesterday today tomorrow
Textile-adapted Textile-integrated Textile-based
Source: ITA, UC Berkeley/ DARPA

7. Smart Textiles – An Introduction
From function to product
Functional material Transfer Intelligent System Applications
Fibre properties Integration Classification Use
 electrical  Joining  Additional elements  Process
 thermal  Connecting  Energy  Products
 optical  Manufacturing  „Communication“  customer
 …
Optical fibre Conductive jacket core Sensing modul
multifilament yarn
Filament sensor
5
Functions of a smart textile system mm
Heating rate diagramm Conductive knit
Source: ITA, RWTH Aachen University

8. Smart Textiles – function of (fibre) material
Some possible functions – optical effects
Function How?
 fibre material
Active side lighting • particulate additive
• electroluminescent
• phosphorescent
 Surface modification
• chemically
Light transmission • mechanically
 Coating
• polymers
Source: starscape, Tii, Recytex

9. Smart Textiles – function of (fibre) material
Some possible functions – electrical conductivity (fibre)
Function How?
 Fibre material
Heating • metal (Ag, Cu, Au,
stainless steel, …) Yarn with Au-Coating
• carbon-based
Data line & signal
transmission  Surface coating 50 µm
• chemically Ag
Yarn with Ag-Coating
• CVD
• galvanic PA
Capacitance sensor
• electroless deposition
Electrostatic shielding • physically
• PVD
Source: statex, ITA

10. Smart Textiles – function of (fibre) material
Some possible functions – electrical conductivity (area)
Function How?
Heating
 Surface coating Fabric Cu-Coating
• chemical methods (s.a.)
Data line & signal • physical methods (s.a.)
transmission
 Printing
(print media with particles)
Capacitance sensor
 Textile manufacturing
Conductive knit (left) & fabric (right)
Electrostatic shielding
Textile conductor track
Source: ecologa, ITA, KuZ Leipzig

11. Smart Textiles – function of (fibre) material
Some possible functions – thermal influence & other
Function How?
Active warming & cooling
 Fibre material
• metal (Ag, Cu, Au,…) Fibres with PCM-particles
• phase-change-material
IR-reflection
(PCM)
• bio-chemical
Heat conduction
Printed heating coating
 Fabric coating
• print media with particles
Drug release fibre
• Metals (Al, Ag,…)
Bounded
• soot, CNTs drugs
• polymers
drug-release fibre
Source: ITA, schoeller

12. Smart Textiles – intelligent textile systems
Transfer the function into a working system – electronics
System Use of:
• conductive yarn
Flexible electric circuit • embroidering
• adhesive
• conductive yarn
Contacting electronic • Knitting
devices • neodymium magnets
• different adhesives
• conductive yarn
• Weaving
Textile switch
• embroidering
• thermo-forming
Source: IZM Berlin, ITA

13. Smart Textiles – intelligent textile systems
Transfer the function into a working system – illumination
System Use of:
• Optical fibres
Illuminated textiles • LEDs
• embroidering
• conductive yarn
Illuminated reinforced • Knitting
composites • neodymium magnets
• different adhesives
• conductive textiles
textile based LED-array • Different adhesives
• LEDs
Source: ITA, IZM Berlin

14. Smart Textiles – intelligent textile systems
Transfer the function into a working system – sensors
System Use of:
jacket core Sensing modul
Rope with stress sensor • conductive yarn
Filament sensor
• braiding
5 mm
• conductive yarn
Capacitive electrodes
• knitting
• conductive yarn
Textile antenna
• embroidering
Source: ITA

15. Smart Textiles – intelligent textile systems
Transfer the function into a working system – others & more
System Use of:
Textile heating module • conductive yarn
• embroidering
• conductive yarn
Textile flexible bus-system • weaving
• soldering
• Biocompatible
Shape memory stent polymers
• braiding
Source: ITA

16. Contents
 What are Smart Textiles and how do textiles get “smart”?
 Functional textile material
 Intelligent textile system
 Examples for smart textile applications – the benefits of the technology
 electricity, sensing, heating
 Illumination
 Summary and Conclusion

17. Smart Textile – Applications
Electronic applications
Heating systems
printed PET-fabric IR-picture
Source: SEFAR, warmX, ITA

18. Smart Textile – Applications
Data line & signal transmission
Monitoring systems
Data transmission
Source: IZM Berlin, Medit, Profitex project

19. Smart Textile – Applications
Sensing
Temperature sensor Switch for automotive applications
Textile RFID(2) and Textile stress sensors
transponder (3)
Source: TITV, ITA, RWTH Aachen
University

20. Smart Textile Applications
Illuminating textiles
LED Shirt LED Snowboarder
LED Matrix System Printed OLED Pattern
Sources: Luminex, ITCF Denkendorf,
Philips Lumalive, HS Niederrhein

21. Contents
 What are Smart Textiles and how do textiles get “smart”?
 Functional textile material
 Intelligent textile system
 Examples for smart textile applications – the benefits of the technology
 electricity, sensing, heating
 Illumination
 Summary and Conclusion

22. Summary New products and new markets
Smart Textiles are: Numerous applications:
Textiles with enhanced functionality For nearly all society needs like:
 Conduct electricity  Health & living
(.. includes data line)  Mobility & production
 Heat
 Environment & energy
 Illuminate
 Sense
 ….and much more. Think about it!
 & much more…any ideas?
…and then let’s work together
The next step is to find processes which bring the new
technologies into serial production.

23. Thank you for your attention !
Feel free to ask questions
klaus.scheulen@ita.rwth-aachen.de

24. Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Scheulen
Smart Textiles – Mobility Systems
Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA),
RWTH Aachen University
Otto-Blumenthal-Str. 1,
52074 Aachen, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 241 - 80 24752
Fax +49 (0) 241 - 80 22422
Secretary‘s office -23400
klaus.scheulen@ita.rwth-aachen.de