The E-Fabric Has No Clothes

from the fabric-of-our-lives dept

Every so often, the promise of electronic circuitry in fabric arises even though "e-fabrics" have a long way to go before getting into clothing. There are a range of obstacles: e-fabrics are too stiff or uncomfortable, they aren't durable to washing, and they need to be recognized as safe, among other things. Maybe someday these problems will be solved, but in the meantime, embedding electronics in fabrics should at least look appealing. So interesting (or "beautiful" as their inventor describes them) wall hangings and switches made from e-fabrics could popularize the concept of non-traditional electronics. But for now, these devices still have a few technological hurdles to overcome.