A new flexible memory fabric has been developed by using electronics in fabrics. The smart fabric has been created by researchers Jin-Woo Han and M Meyyappan working at the California-based Centre for Nanotechnology, a part of NASA's Ames Research Centre.
The e-textile, woven using interlocking strands of copper-oxide and copper wires, has a capacity to retain information for at least 100 days.
A nanoscale dab of platinum is positioned between the fibres at each stitch along the smart fabric. This results in a “resistive memory circuit” at each joint, in which the platinum layers function as top electrodes, while the copper wires act as the bottom electrodes.
In the trial product, the thickness of copper wires used is 1 mm. Researchers are optimistic that memory density can be raised while decreasing the weight of the fabric by using copper wires of smaller diameters.
However, to make these e-textiles practically wearable, it will require integration of sensors, a memory structure, a power generator like a battery, and a computational element.
The new breakthrough is expected to be highly useful in providing significant information to medical practitioners in detecting biomarkers for various diseases, and also in monitoring health parameters of people trapped in unfriendly surroundings.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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