L I S A   L I

Overview of the Field

 

Wearable technology simply refers to all electronic technologies or computers that are incorporated into items of clothing or accessories that can be comfortably worn on the body or close to the body. This concept of wearables is not entirely new as it was introduced in the late 1990’s; however, many of these prototypes were bulky technologies. Now designers have been moving away from the larger sizes to smaller, lightweight and more mobile systems. This allows more of a functionality and more aesthetically pleasing.

 

Textiles

 

In producing wearable technologies, there are several different kinds of material choices in order to create such a product and many choices at every level of material design. Varying even one factor in textile development and manufacturing can result in an entirely new fabric. Materials that are frequently used to make protective clothing include: textiles, foams, films and rigid materials (which include metals and plastics). “A textile, is any flexible material that is composed of thin films of polymers or of fibers, yarns, or fabrics or products made of film fibers, yarns, or fabrics” (Kadolph, 2010). All types of textiles can be applied to functional clothing that is either in apparel design, interior design, the design industry or even smart textiles. A textile is composed of fibers, which is the smallest visible unit of a textile and deniers express the diameter of a fiber. Fiber classification can be in two ways, either of a natural fiber, or of a manufactured fiber. Since each fiber has its own property, it allows scientists and researchers to develop different kinds of fiber in conjunction to different values it demonstrates. Depending on the absorbency, the abrasion resistance, the resiliency of textile fibers, and several other classifications, it allows the different fibers to be ranked depending on their characteristics. Sometimes even natural materials are finely chopped and converted into liquids using chemical processes but this process allows creation of new materials and also the form of the material. Even though some fibers such as ‘rayon’ may be manufactured, they are still classified as a ‘natural fiber’ since it is not altered chemically. Manufactured fibers are made up of what is called polymers and changing a factor of a polymer actually can change a fiber entirely. There are many different kinds of manufactured fibers such as bicomponent fiber (best quality of two materials combined into one). Fibers can be organized depending on whether or not it is flameproof & flame-resistant, its textured properties and also moisture absorbency. 

 

guidance

 

One of our guides, Olivier Vermeersch, Vice-President of CTT Group introduced and further explained other challenges and limitations that came with making these materials since there is a lack of test methods for the materials and textiles. He also added to the fact how every material had a different challenge and limitation to go by, therefore making it even more difficult to configure the machinery to the exact calibrations. Explaining the different between SMA and SMP, he also brief us on different energy harvesting materials and sources used in association hand and hand with the materials. Showing us a machine that Concordia University also had, the Tajima Laying Machine, is a piece of machinery that embroiders different stitch work onto fabric from an image that is rendered in the machine. It is an expensive and large machine that requires patience but is versatile as conductive thread can also be used to create the embellishments. Finally, he also informed us about sensors and how “any mechanism that changes its conductivity is exploitable as a sensor” (Vermeersch) and how these sensors can be woven into material to create even more innovations with Organic Light Emitting Diodes and producing material with even more flexibility in all aspects of the fit, to look, and to literal flexibility.