NTU: Smart Fiber

2024: Product Announcement

In early February 2024, a group of Chinese and Singaporean scientists announced the development of a new type of smart fiber. It can be woven into regular fabric, turning any garment into wearable electronics.

The project was attended by specialists from the Singapore Nanyang University of Technology (NTU), as well as the institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenzhen and Sujo. Scientists have developed a method for creating defect-free threads hundreds of meters long by introducing synthetic fibers into semiconductor materials. To do this, the semiconductor wire is inserted into a glass tube, which is then heated until the wire is soft enough to be drawn into a thin thread. After cooling, the glass is removed, and the semiconductor thread is placed in a polymer tube along with the metal wires. It is then heated and stretched to form a thin, flexible thread.

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The polymer shell can feel like a fishing line. The functional fiber is less than 5% of the total surface area of the fabric, which provides a high level of comfort for the user. It is said that wearing smart fabric is comparable to cotton clothing. The production process of the new type of material is compatible with machines widely used in the textile industry.

The researchers talk about different application options for the technology. Thus, a jumper created using smart fibers will be able to share photos with other users via wireless communication based on light waves. A hat made in a similar way can help a visually impaired person safely cross the road by sending information about traffic lights to a smartphone that can vibrate in a certain way.^[1]

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