Ultrathin Smart Fibre Revolutionizes Wearable Tech

Developed by Singapore and China researchers, the fibre can be woven into fabrics for a variety of applications, but challenges remain in connecting it to rigid circuit boards.

• Researchers from Singapore and China have developed an ultrathin smart fibre that can be woven into fabrics to create wearable electronics.
• The fibre can be used in a variety of applications, such as a jumper that can share pictures with other wearers via a wireless light-based communication system, a beanie that can help a visually impaired person cross the road safely by sending traffic signal information to a phone, and a flexible watch band to measure heart rate.
• The fibre can also work deep underwater and is machine washable.
• The manufacturing process is compatible with machines widely used by the textile industry, and the team is working on turning other electronic components into threadlike shapes for a complete system of smart textiles.
• Despite the advancements, the connection between the flexible material and the rigid circuit boards that hold computer chips and other components tends to fail after a few months, which is a challenge the researchers are now focusing on.

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