Integrating e-Threads: Properties of Conductive Threads for Electrical Connectivity Using Computational Weaving of Smart Textiles

The field of smart textiles is concerned with implementing circuitry into fabric to realize different applications for soft electronics. Utilizing weaving as a fabrication method, ubiquitous integration of circuitry can be achieved. However, current technologies do not utilize weaving to its full potential. Most works implement conductive threads or substrates aligned with the weaving structure itself, without considering the design potential that weaving structures offer. This paper synthesizes the properties of conductive threads for electrical connectivity and proposes a novel weaving technique to enable PCB-like implementation of circuitry on fabric. This is achieved through the identification of several conductive thread properties, giving more flexibility in designing circuitry for smart textiles.