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What is Smart Clothing?

Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov

So-called "smart clothing" is a futuristic form of clothing that functions as an active device, for example releasing chilled water vapor when it senses its wearer is hot. The term "smart clothing" denotes the presence of embedded electronics. Some forms of smart clothing have been created, but none have really been mass-produced, and many more are the subject of science fiction stories and cannot be made with current technology. Smart clothing is of great interest to the world’s militaries, which often try to pack as much functionality as possible into a single soldier's equipment.

Military and commercial research scientists seek to develop smart clothing that possesses many of the useful properties of computers – the ability to store and manipulate data; display images, text, and video; connect to the Internet; offer input devices; and so on. Other possible features of smart clothing include the ability to detect chemicals in the air, quickly harden on contact with a speeding bullet, change color or opacity, generate power from the wearer’s movement, record the wearer’s speech and activity, and even project an image of the scene behind the wearer, creating a crude form of camouflage-based invisibility. Various “power suits” in science fiction and fantasy display these qualities.

Astronauts' space suits are full of miniature electronic devices.
Astronauts' space suits are full of miniature electronic devices.

Clothes are usually meant to be soft, light, thin, and flexible, whereas most electronics are hard, heavy, thick, and rigid. Only the most advanced, custom-made electronics have properties desirable in clothing, though many millions of dollars in venture capital are put towards developing such advanced electronics. For example, it is commonly thought that flexible displays will be commercialized before 2010. These will be one of the first big steps toward smart clothing.

Clothing integrated with electronics exists today, but it cannot really be called “smart.” There is a jacket available which can be plugged into an iPod and used to navigate song lists. Clothing embedded with RFID tags has been used to operate doors which detect the tag and open in response to it. Space suits used by astronauts are dense with miniaturized electronics used for a variety of purposes.

Many futurists think that one day, everyone will wear smart clothing, because it will be so useful. There are few inanimate objects so intimately connected with humans and our daily lives in the way that clothing is, and it would be quite convenient if we could increase its functionality.

Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov

Michael is a longtime EasyTechJunkie contributor who specializes in topics relating to paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism. In addition to being an avid blogger, Michael is particularly passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. He has also worked for the Methuselah Foundation, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Lifeboat Foundation.

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Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov

Michael is a longtime EasyTechJunkie contributor who specializes in topics relating to paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism. In addition to being an avid blogger, Michael is particularly passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. He has also worked for the Methuselah Foundation, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Lifeboat Foundation.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

babyksay

@lmorales - I definitely agree that there is potential, but some one has to actually approach the subject first. While this article obviously states that fact, I don't think anyone has really gone through the trouble of finding out exactly how to make it or gotten dirty in the smart clothing department yet... at least not dirty enough it would seem.

lmorales

@BelugaWhale - I think this might be a type of smart clothing. I like how the article discusses the difference between smart parts clothing and regular clothes. The fact that clothes are meant to be light and airy and that electronics are heavy and hard means that some one would have to find a fabric or make a synthetic that had the properties described in the article above.

We saw a sample in my textiles class that was made from old cassette tape ribbon, so why wouldn't this type of clothing be achievable someday? Very interesting article all around.

BelugaWhale

@WalrusTusk - If you think about it there are some types of smart clothing already out there. At least I consider it "smart clothing." Work out clothing like t shirts sometimes come with the water wicking ability "built" in. This type of clothing wicks away sweat and stuff to leave the wearer cooler while they are going through their work out routine.

WalrusTusk

@ivanka - It would be really nice, wouldn't it? I guess for now though, we will have to all stuff battery operated electric blankets under our jackets and walk around with those little hand held battery powered personal fans. It would be really great to have trendy clothing that serves more than just the fashion purpose for sure.

ivanka

It would be really great to have winter coat and pants that you could "turn on" heat when the weather gets really cold. That would come in really handy in cold climates.

Of course vice-versa would not be shabby either in hot climates.

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    • Astronauts' space suits are full of miniature electronic devices.
      By: Noel Powell
      Astronauts' space suits are full of miniature electronic devices.