(Invited) Design and Commercialization Challenges of Garment-Based Textile Electronics

Abstract

Textile electronics is a rapidly evolving industry, particularly in sectors of wellness, medical, and athletics. The advantage of a textile electronic, over current wrist worn wearables products, is the ability to form a non-noticeable integrated system of multiple sensors across the large contact area that the garment has in intimate contact with the body. Key challenges exist in the commercialization of these technologies, as it relates to identifying the consumer needs for justifying the use of the technology and cost factors for fabrication that are limited by the low-cost principles of the textiles industry. This talk explores new technology developments and trends in garment fabrication that provide the opportunity for resolving these challenges. Of particular interest is the ability to leverage techniques founded in the printed electronics industry and elements of the rapid developing 3D whole garment manufacturing to fabricate customized electronics and garments, a key to optimizing the data quality of integrated sensors to that of the consumer expectations.