Conductive Textiles

Where Electronics Meet Textiles

Workshop with
Lynne Bruning and
Troy Robert Nachtigall

Sponsored by
Spark Fun and PlugandWear
Versione 3.0 - January
2010
Different Materials have
different Conductivity
 Conductor?

NON- INSULATORS
CONDUCTOR CONDUCTOR

SEMI SUPER
CONDUCTOR CONDUCTOR
Conductive Yarns
 Filament, Spun
coated, and Ply Yarns
MAking Condutive Thread
Mixing Conductive and non-
conductive Fibers
Current/conductivity in thread depends upon three
major factors:

1.Conductive Material Used

2.% of Conductive Fibers
3.Longitudinal Configuration & Horizontal
Configuration
 Conductive Fibers
- metals copper, silver, stainless
steel, brass, Monel (Nickel) -
metallized fibers - polyamide/silver-
carbon
 Fiber Horizontal
Configurations

Natural

Dog Bone Triorbial

Circular

Segmented
Hollow Core
 Fiber Longitudinal
Configurations
Straight

Twisted

Coiled

Crimped
 All conductors have
resistance
Wearable electronics have
more resistance because
they are part non
condutor.

We can create a variable

resistor (or Potentiometer)
by attaching a jewelry
closure.
Lets Try it
Lets Try it
Electricity in simple knitted
fabrics
Pressure sensitive fabric
Characteristics

Activation force 3.6 Kg per 50

mm diameter
More then 1.000.000 cycles
For a 15 cm x 20 cm switch
resistance when pressed:
around 200 Ohm, open circuit
when non pressed
 Pressure sensitive fabrics
Innovative aspects
No need of further production steps
Low cost
Transpiring
Semi-transparent
Flexible
Different activating pressures
Matrix switches
Large area switches (50 cm x 50
cm)
Skin compatible materials
 State Change Detection

Load up the sketch

/Examples/Digital/St
ateChangeDetectio
n

This sketch counts

how many times a
button is pressed
 Textile button sensors
2
2
1
Two different
hookups
1
Normal Button
2
Resistor

1
textile perfboard
Velostat