Invention of World's First Piezoelectric Fabrics for Wearable Devices

The World’s first piezoelectric fabrics developed by Teijin Ltd. & Kansai University for wearable devices. Teijin Ltd. and Prof. Yoshiro Tajitsu, Faculty of Engineering Science at Kansai University have developed a new clothing fabric with the help of 0.02-millimeter-thick threads made of bioplastic (polylactic acid) and carbon fibre which converts a wearer’s movements into electrical data that can be mimicked elsewhere, such as by a robot.

Teijin Ltd. and Kansai University introduced the new piezoelectric fabric at the 1st Wearable Expo (booth No. 18-11, East Hall), which is the leading wearable devices and products exhibition, took placed at the Tokyo International Exhibition Hall in Japan from 14-16 January.

CAD data can immediately reflect the folding of a piezoelectric fabric

The newly introduced piezoelectric fabrics combine Teijin’s polymer and textile technologies with Prof. Tajitsu’s vast knowledge of piezoelectric materials. The whole Development was supervised by Prof. Tajitsu at Kansai University, where technological cooperation provided by the Industrial Technology Center of Fukui Prefecture.

The researchers said, the fabrics composed of a piezoelectric poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and carbon fiber electrode. Plain, twill and satin weave versions were produced for different purposes: satin weave detects twisting, plain weave detects bending and twill weave detects shear and three-dimensional motion, as well as bending and twisting.

The piezoelectric poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) which convert the pressure when part of the wearer's body bends into an electrical signal. here the data is retrieved through a small wireless communication device that is attached to the piece of clothing. The function allows fabric to be applied to the actuator or sensor to detect complicated movements, even three-dimensional movements, said researchers.

Teijin Ltd. and Kansai University will continue working on ideal weaves and knits for fabric applications that enable elaborate human actions including use by doctors to conduct surgery remotely or by craftsmen linked to mechanical devices producing copies of their work.

Teijin Ltd. said, in the next two to three years it is looking at using the material as a wearable terminal that it hopes to put to practical use.

Reported by-
Mayedul Islam
Senior Reporter of Textile Tribune
Assistant Chemist
Ha-Meem Group, Tongi, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Email: mayedul.islam66@gmail.com

7:21 AM