Photonic textiles and fabrics
By John on September 3rd, 2005 in Living, Tech & Gadgets.
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By integrating flexible arrays of multicolored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into fabrics—and doing so without compromising the softness of the cloth—Philips Research is bringing these inert objects to life.
(more picture, see below)
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On these substrates, the researchers have placed passive matrices of compact RGB LED packages. The pixelated luminaires with relatively large distance between the RGB pixels have been embedded in such everyday objects as cushions, backpacks, and floor mats. Since the fabric material covering the miniature light sources naturally diffuses light, each pixel seems bigger than it actually is. The LEDs, therefore, remain small and unobtrusive, while the fabric retains its soft look and feel.
Photonic textiles can also be made interactive. Philips has achieved interactivity by incorporating sensors (such as orientation and pressure sensors) and communication devices (such as Bluetooth, GSM) into the fabric.