Scientists at Fudan University in Shanghai developed a fabric that works like a display and has applications in communications, navigation, healthcare, and safety. It could also completely revolutionize and disrupt the fashion industry.
Powered by solar energy, it combines conductive and luminescent fibers with cotton. The display is achieved at touch points of the conductive and luminescent fibers.
Having survived 1,000 cycles of bending, stretching and pressing, the cloth is flexible, breathable, and durable.
With the addition of more applications, it’s expected to shape the next generation of electronic communication tools. For instance, the brush of a sleeve could display a map with directions. The researchers even envision the fabric being able to convert brain waves into signals and display them on the clothes.
The development has huge implications for the fashion industry as well.
Instead of ordering new clothes, we might be downloading designs in the future, thus allowing our existing clothes to change appearance instantly.
Or, we could create our own designs either from scratch or from a template library.
Essentially, there will be no end to our ability to express ourselves through fashion, without needing to buy a new set of clothes each time.
What do you think of this invention? What applications and implications do you envisage? Please let us know in the comments below.