Can you imagine having a shirt that interacts as if it had a life of its own? Or that your suit could give orders? Technological clothing, or state-of-the-art clothing, seems more like something out of science fiction. But beware, because it could be closer than we think. No, we’re not talking about attaching sensors to jeans and that’s it. The thing goes further, or at least that is what Microsoft intends.
The textile sector has changed greatly in recent years. Now it is a sector that has decided to take a step forward and bet on smart fabrics, materials that are much more ecological, durable and easy to maintain. It also uses technological processes in its production with which the latest advances, artificial intelligence and 3D have had a lot to do. However, the Microsoft’s new patent It’s not exactly going down these paths. Published under the name of “Intelligent fabric that recognizes objects and tactile input”, it could mean a real revolution not only in textile production, but also in the very use of fabrics by users.
This is how Microsoft’s smart fabric works
Those of Redmond assure this tissue can recognize and identify nearby objects. These are textiles that incorporate, among other things, sensors and conductors. That is, the fabric is embedded with layers of connected sensors capable of recognizing an object and even a simple gesture. But it is not about sewing sensors and that’s it. The patent talks about the development of data processing circuits. That is, of an intelligent fabric that can receive, process and transmit data.
On the other hand, the fabric would also take advantage of a computer system that receives and processes incoming data, with which it creates prediction models. These can come to recognize an object placed next to the piece of smart fabric. That is, what we keep in a pocket. Or a simple touch gesture.
A specific example would be when a pocket sends a reminder to our phone when it does not detect coins for parking meters, house keys or a mask. As far as gesture recognition is concerned, the user could rub the phone against their pocket and quickly activate a phone command via NFC, among endless other possibilities.
This is not the first time that Microsoft has probed the smart clothing market. In fact, he has been experimenting with some ideas for more than ten years, such as technological gloves. Nor is it the first time that projects of this nature have been patented. In fact, we can find some focused on smart bandages capable of monitoring and treating wounds, shirts capable of lowering body temperature or fabrics that can listen. But the remarkable thing about this new Microsoft patent is that it would be aimed at the real consumer market.
Of course, in memory there are resounding failures such as Google’s Project Jacquard, a Levis jacket that used conductive thread, sensors and IoT tags to create areas sensitive to touch and gestures on the sleeve of the jacket. It did not sell beyond a few units.
