As we look to a future where current devices will disappear and instead be built into the clothes that we wear on a daily basis, we explore what Pireta technology has to offer. It is a company that is offering fashion brands the opportunity to build technology into their products. They are able to do this because they have developed a unique piece of patented technology that allows electronic systems to be assembled directly onto textiles. On their technology Chris Hunt, Founder and CTO of Pireta said, “We are thrilled to show the industry how our technology can change the future of e-textiles and enable a new generation of truly wearable smart garments.”
Technology Designed To Accommodate a Wide Range of e-textile
Wearable technology is now a significant market, with an extensive range of wearable devices adding to our lives. Pireta has developed a unique free-form process to add durable, conductive, metallic patterns to textiles without changing the fabric feel or performance. Explaining further the company stated: “Pireta’s technology allows electronic systems to be assembled and interconnected on a wide range of fabrics, enabling a new generation of truly wearable smart garments and e-textiles”.
Creating printed circuits directly on textiles fibres, Pireta’s technology is best suited to a wide range of e-textile uses, including: component interconnection, printing antennas and RF circuits, local environment sensing, a physiological sensor, energy harvesting devices and other sensors and transducers. According to the company, they use a process that attaches a thin, highly-durable metallic layer at the fibre level, resulting in excellent conductivity but with no impact on the performance of the textile.
When it comes to critical benefits, Pireta’s technology offers a conductive coating that prevents interference with the handle, breathability, and drape of the textile. Durability also makes washing the tech-infused garment a doddle. “Our technology retains functionality over 100 washing cycles and is resistant to temperatures above 50°C. No leeching of the encapsulated nanometal in the conductive track occurs during washing. Conductivity is retained with stretching”, explains Pireta.
Another key benefit worth mentioning is its flexibility when it comes to design. This means that the point-to point solution caters for any application with minimal intrusion, applying the conductive tracks where needed, and without restricting the choice of material for your garments. Promising to enabling a new generation of stretchable, breathable smart clothes that can be worn close to the body with ease and comfort, the fashion industry can look forward to finally making their collections ‘truly wearable’.
