Monday, April 2, 2012

Smart Fabrics

We are all used to having tracking and smart technology built into the devices we use daily. From our appliances, smart phones even in and the cars we drive, the grasp of big brother has never been stronger. It seems like this smart technology is being implemented into more of our everyday products and we are being conditioned to accept it. Where is the logical place to start implementing smart technology you may wonder? Well how about your clothes...

Well in the military sector we often see these technologies used first before being introduced to the general public. Think of the GPS technology we all have become accustomed to, well that for example was used for military purposes first. In this story it is no different as UK soldiers could be wearing electricity-storing 'e-textile' uniforms by the end of the year. British military uniforms will soon be getting an upgrade that turns the fabric they're made from into a central battery. The Centre for Defence Enterprise has showcased a uniform made from conductive "e-textiles," which can route power and data through conductive yarn. Intelligent Textiles, which designed the fabric, is planning to field-test the uniforms by May, and may put them to limited use by the end of this year. A more widespread roll out is planned for 2014 or 2015. The uniform could also act as a sort of wearable computer. Intelligent Textiles is currently designing a machine — complete with fabric keyboard — that could be integrated into the clothes.

I can imagine in the future that you will no longer have to carry a smart device, the device will be the actual clothes you are wearing. You will be wearing a computer in a sense and already similar technology is creeping into public use as one school is in the midst of unveiling a program where computer chips are embedded in the shirts of the student uniforms. Called "intelligent uniforms," the chips will track a student's every move and keep both the schools and parents apprised of what children are doing.

Would you wear clothes embedded with microchips? In the future you may not have a choice.

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