Integration Technologies for Smart Textiles

There is a growing demand for ""intelligent environments"" or ""ambient assisted living"" where sensors and actuators that surround people or equipment are constantly exchanging information. Such environments require large area carriers for the electronic components - textile carriers are a good solution due to the large area capability at low cost. They allow the integration of electronic systems in the environment as well as in clothing. Integrating electronics into textiles is still an emerging field. In the development of smart textiles there is a strong drive to go for integration of electronic components into textiles in high volume manufacturing. Different types of smart fabrics, interconnection technologies, and applications have already been developed. But the technologies reported so far have not yet proven to be suited for reliable mass production. Novel concepts are required for the use of conductive textiles as sensors or the integration of conventional sensors in fabric. New yarns with well-defined properties as well as special fabrication processes for the textile are will be needed to obtain reproducible results. On different levels integration technologies have already been developed and qualified. For very small components a direct integration of chips into the yarn is possible. Larger and more complex modules require a specific package with contacts that allow the interconnection to the yarn - e.g. crimping, embroidery and adhesive bonding. Another alternative is the integration of stretchable interposers on the fabric. For all these solutions the I/O count is limited - on the one hand due to the limitations of the fabric, on the other hand due to the necessary size of the contacts of the modules. Together the technologies nonetheless build a platform, which allows the realization of a wide range of textile applications.