Fibres—threads of intelligence—enable a new generation of wearable systems
Chao Dang, Zhixun Wang, Theodore Hughes‐Riley, Tilak Dias, Shengtai Qian, Zhe Wang, Xingbei Wang, Mingyang Liu, Senlong Yu, Rongkun Liu, Dewen Xu, Lei Wei, Wei Yan, Meifang Zhu
Abstract
Fabrics represent a unique platform for seamlessly integrating electronics into everyday experiences. The advancements in functionalizing fabrics at both the single fibre level and within constructed fabrics have fundamentally altered their utility. The revolution in materials, structures, and functionality at the fibre level enables intimate and imperceptible integration, rapidly transforming fibres and fabrics into next-generation wearable devices and systems. In this review, we explore recent scientific and technological breakthroughs in smart fibre-enabled fabrics. We examine common challenges and bottlenecks in fibre materials, physics, chemistry, fabrication strategies, and applications that shape the future of wearable electronics. We propose a closed-loop smart fibre-enabled fabric ecosystem encompassing proactive sensing, interactive communication, data storage and processing, real-time feedback, and energy storage and harvesting, intended to tackle significant challenges in wearable technology. Finally, we envision computing fabrics as sophisticated wearable platforms with system-level attributes for data management, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and closed-loop intelligent networks.