ETH Zurich develops smart fabrics using sound waves

A team of researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, led by Professor Daniel Ahmed, has created a new type of smart fabric that can sense touch, pressure, and movement using sound waves instead of traditional electronics. These fabrics use acoustic signals sent through glass fibres, making the textiles lighter, more breathable, and easier to wash.

Professor Ahmed, who specializes in Acoustic Robotics for Life Sciences and Healthcare, explains that the innovation, called SonoTextiles, is also cost-effective, thanks to the use of readily available materials and low energy consumption. While acoustic-based smart textiles have been explored before, this is the first time glass fibres have been used along with sound waves at different frequencies.

The glass fibres are woven into the fabric at fixed intervals. At one end of each fibre is a tiny transmitter that sends out sound waves, and at the other end is a receiver that detects changes in the waves. Since each transmitter operates at a unique frequency, it’s easier to identify which fibre is responding, reducing the need for heavy computing.

In practice, a shirt made with SonoTextiles could track the breathing of asthma patients and alert them in emergencies. Athletes could benefit from real-time performance feedback to avoid injuries and improve training. The technology also shows promise for gloves that translate sign language into text or speech and could enhance virtual and augmented reality experiences.