Yuecheng Peng, Danchang Yan, Haotian Chen, Yue Yang, Ye Tao, Weitao Song, Lingyun Sun, and Guanyun Wang. 2024.
In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’24).
Best Paper Honorable Mention
We introduce a low-cost, accessible method for creating washable, reusable functional textiles with customizable input capabilities. The process involves a double coating: first, applying carbon black ink to off-the-shelf fabrics to enable sensing (pressure, stretch, slide, temperature), and second, adding a polyurethane layer to ensure durability through wash cycles. To empower user customization, IntelliTex expands the design space through varied coating techniques and fabric types, offers a library of ready-made input components, and provides online documentation for beginners. Demonstrated through five applications and a user study, this method supports designers, makers, and researchers in easily crafting interactive textiles for everyday use.
YEAR
2023-2024
3 months
COLLABORATORS
Yuecheng Peng
Danchang(Iris) Yan
Haotian Chen
ROLE
Research Assistant
TOOLS
Laser cutting
3D printing
Arduino
Figma
Adobe stes
OVERVIEW
(1) 1st coat (conductivity): carbon black ink.
(2) 2nd coat (washability): polyurethane.
The main idea is that each textile has its unique properties (e.g. multi-layered structure, elasticity, and built-in functionalities, such as zippers), which can be utilized to realize diverse functions and simplify the fabrication of input components.
Besides, diverse coating methods, including dip-coating, partially-dip-coating, and brush-coating, can be used to apply conductivity to the entire fabric or only to desired structural parts to realize specifc functionalities.
FABRICATION WORKFLOW
Draw low-fidelity design
Iron conductive traces & connect metal buttons
Fabricate & connect fabric inputs
Connect outputs and processor
UTILIZE FABRIC INPUTS TO CREATE INTERACTIVE TEXTILES
By leveraging textiles with different structures and materials as well as diverse coating methods, fabric inputs of various functionalities can be fabricated. We contribute a comprehensive library of fabric input components that can be created using our fabrication method.
Based on the components library above, we also designed and developed a user-friendly web document to enable novice users to learn about our fabrication approach to create fabric inputs. (https://intellitex-doublecoat.github.io/)
FABRIC INPUT LIBRARY
Wearable Pressure Ulcer Prevention Sensor Patch
A set of reusable fabric sensor patches with a front-end system to detect high risks of pressure ulcer.
Wearable Control for Gamified Rehabilitation
We brush-coated a glove to augment it into a wearable bend input for gamifed rehabilitation training.
Firefighter Neck-wear with Heat Warning
We also demonstrate the potential applications of workwear for special occupations, such as frefghters.
Tangible Textile Interactive Interfaces
Utilizing the textile’s special and pleasant hand feel, we created an interactive fufy piano pillow. (Above)
Taking advantage of the fexibility and elasticity of textiles, we combined our approach with concepts of textile sculpture and fabricated an interface using highly elastic fabrics. (Below)