Modular E-Textile Platform for Real-Time Sensing

Abstract

We demonstrate a modular e-textile sports garment with the ability to house different types of sensors, using temperature sensing as an example. To connect circuit modules, flexible interposers are used to create interfaces between materials which are difficult to join reliably, and a modular design is used so that a) the system can be disassembled for repair or recycling, and b) electronic and textile parts are fabricated separately and integrated only at the final assembly stage. This aims to simplify manufacturing and to facilitate separation at end of life for recycling, updating or reuse. The focus of this paper is stress testing the system to show that the prototype modular garment can survive repeated bending and stretching, and that the system can record skin temperature with sufficient accuracy.