Midstream Research Scheme Funding Secured for Textile Electronic Interaction System

Prof. Xiaoming TAO, Director of RI-IWEAR, and Dr Yang CHAI,  recently have secured  approximately HK$5 million under Midstream Research Programmes for Universities from the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF)  for a 3-year research project entitled “Key Technologies for Textile Electronic Interaction System”.

Human-computer-environment interaction technology has been a recent hot research topic as a result of its applications in smart cities, IoT, AI, VR/AR, and robotics. Interactive textile electronic systems may provide suitable platforms because of their excellent wearable performance and unique immersive features such as lightweight, large-area, handiness, flexibility, comfort, and low strain even under high deformations.

The key to extend the use of these textiles is to develop new technologies for textile-based interaction systems. The project proposes to develop the new technologies by demonstrating prototype system products comprising a modularized fabric display of over 16 million colors, audial communication, fabric keyboard, memory, wireless communication unit and a control unit. In this project, the processing methods for the surface enhancement of flexible fibrous substrates, and fabrication of new double-sided fibrous circuit boards will be investigated. Essential machines and tools will be developed for manufacturing the fabric electronic modules made from electronic yarns, and interconnection between textile electronic modules, as well as determination of processing parameters, quality control methods and procedures. By using the newly developed processes, machines, and tools, Their team will demonstrate novel electronic textile display products for human-computer-environment interaction in smart homes.