Material displays are here and I want one in my sleeve instead of a smartwatch
This turns ordinary clothing into a display, complete with touch controls
I love the idea of having a screen built into my clothing rather than having to strap another device to my wrist. Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new type of electronic fibre that can turn an ordinary sleeve into a touchscreen display. This brings us a step closer to wearable technology that actually looks and feels like clothing.
Unlike existing smartwatches and wearable displays, this isn't a rigid screen attached to fabric. The technology is built directly into the fibres, allowing the material itself to display images and video, respond to finger presses and connect wirelessly to other devices.
The team, led by Assistant Professor Tural Khudiyev, has demonstrated the technology using 54 electronic fibres woven into the forearm of a sleeve. Each fibre contains 96 LEDs, combining to create a 96 x 54-pixel display measuring 168 x 105mm.
The resolution isn't going to compete with your smartphone just yet, but the prototype can already do some interesting things. It can display photographs, play video at 30 frames per second, run a calculator and work as a compass. It can also receive images over Bluetooth and respond to voice commands.
There's more going on beneath the surface, too. Additional electronic fibres provide a microphone, speaker and sensors that can detect movement, temperature, magnetic direction and ambient light. That means the sleeve can even measure body temperature and display the reading directly on the fabric.
How does the touchscreen sleeve work?
Each fibre measures just 1mm across and contains thousands of interconnected microelectronic components, with separate layers responsible for displaying images and detecting touch.
When you press the fabric, a touch-sensitive layer completes an electrical circuit, identifying where your finger landed and illuminating the nearest pixel. It's a sophisticated arrangement which allows the sleeve to register multiple touches at once.
Importantly, it doesn't mean sacrificing the practical benefits of ordinary clothing. The researchers tested the prototype through 50 machine-washing cycles using detergent and 1,000 bends around a 5mm radius, with almost no change in display brightness or touch response. The material is also reported to be as breathable as cotton, polyester and denim.
There's still plenty of development work to do. The team wants to improve display resolution, integrate more sensors and eventually introduce on-device AI. Healthcare is one potential application, with future garments able to monitor physiological information and display it directly to the wearer.
I can see this being interesting as an alternative to smartwatches, especially if the technology can eventually be incorporated into everyday jackets, shirts and sportswear. We're not quite at the point where I can check my messages on my sleeve, but I'd happily swap a wrist-mounted screen for something like this.
