Accessible control interfaces

Creating an e-textiles interface with smart fabric inks

The Team: Russell Torah Southampton University, Smart Fabric Inks, Annie Lywood

For this project we explored the use of printed inks on flexible materials to create an eTextile interface. Here you can see a design for our music cushion showing 8 fabric buttons and the accompanying sensor design that will sit beneath the fabric cushion covers.
We were lucky enough to partner up with researcher Russell Torah at Southampton University Electronics & Computer Science department and collaborated with Smart Fabric Inks to print the proximity sensors on 2 different flexible materials. We tested 4 sensor patterns to assess the different ink coverage of each pad and used standard connectors between printed ink traces and the micro board.The proximity sensors work successfully with both direct touch & under fabric covers detecting both individual & combination presses.

After successful first tests in the studio showing the sensors functioning we will next embed the sensors in our products and test user experience and functionality. We aim to adjust the sensors for different touch gestures and pressure levels for different needs. 

For anyone interested in exploring e-textiles I recommend joining the e-textile Network and E-stitches, both friendly groups of experts.