Intelligent Textiles

Intelligent Textiles react to various stimuli and have three main functionalities: Sensitivity, Reactivity, and Adaptability. The three main categories are "Passive", "Active", and "Ultra-intelligent" and principle uses include heating, monitoring, and sensing (i.e. the use of sensors). These functionalities are possible through the integration of:

• Electronic components (e.g. chips, circuits)
• Chemicals (e.g. micro encapsulation, conductive polymers)
• Materials with special properties (e.g. conductors, piezoelectrics, PCM)

Principle sectors of applications include Sports and Leisure, Military, Medicine, Construction and Transport.

First generation intelligent textile have these elements integrated after manufacture and are already on the market. CTT Group's research involves second and third generation textiles, whose elements are integrated during manufacture. These products are currently on a development stage or arriving on the market.

Our research group focusses on:

• Developing intelligent textiles and products
• Integrating intelligent components into textiles as discreetly  as possible at the manufacturing stage
• Developing manufacturing processes adapted to the production environment
• Creating effective performance evaluation methods for intelligent textiles. The Group is involved in the intelligent textiles sdandardization program.

Current Research Projects

TEX-LIFE : Knitted structures with special conductive zones acting as textile electrodes

• For measurement of physiological signs
• For detection of muscular activity

Prototypes and Intelligent textiles or products :

• Optical fibers (fibre Bragg  grating) Integrated into textiles (knitted structures, composites materials, etc.)
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• Piezoelectric components integrated into textiles
• Textile heating elements integrated into clothing
• Organic (OLED) and inorganic (LED) light-emitting components integrated into textiles
• Wireless technology (Zigbee) integrated into textiles

Tex-Sense : Textile Sensors

• Developing textile sensors that react to mechanical stress
• Capacitive textile structures

Test Method Developments : Development of test methods for characterisation and performance analysis of smart textiles.

• GCTTG-4001-2007 : Method for measuring the volumic resistivity of a conductive nonwoven.
• GCTTG-4002-2009 : A Method for measuring the Electrical  Resistance of fibers.
• GCTTG-4003-2010 : Method for measuring electrical features evolution function of the elongation of a complete electro-conductive textile or a textile containing specific electro-conductive zones.
• GCTTG-4004-2011 : Method for measuring electrical features evolution function of the abrasion of an electro-conductive textile or a textile containing specific electro-conductive zones.

Our achievements

Since 2007, the Research Group in Intelligent Textiles has carried out a number of projects, including:

• A new infrastructure for advanced prototyping.
• Over 30 large-scale research and development projects, including one with French researchers.
• A training workshop on intelligent textiles.
• Over 15 commercial-technical publications.
• One patented technology and another in the patent application

Our services

The Research Group in Intelligent Textiles can assist you in:

• Analyzing the latest technology in targeted markets.
• Searching for, and analyzing, existing patents.
• Identifying the appropriate intelligent materials and their corresponding suppliers.
• Creating a prototype and developing intelligent textiles and/or products.
• Evaluating the performance of, and characterizing, your intelligent textiles.
• Your intelligent textiles training.

Research Infrastructure

Please visit the dedicated infrastructure page for detailed information.

Last Update : January 27, 2012 - OV/AB