Imec, performs world-leading
research in nanoelectronics and its project partners announce the launch of
the European FP7 (Framework Program) project PASTA (Integrating Platform for
Advanced Smart textile Applications) aiming at developing large-area smart textiles.
Large-area manufacturability is an essential aspect in bridging the gap between
lab prototyping and the industrial manufacturing of smart textiles for sports
and leisure wear, technical textiles for safety and monitoring applications,
and textiles for healthcare monitoring purposes.
The PASTA project will combine research on electronic packaging and interconnection
technology with textile research to realize an innovative approach of smart
textile. By introducing new concepts for electronic packaging and module interconnect,
a seamless, more comfortable and more robust integration of electronics in textile
will be possible. The main technological developments will concentrate on a
new concept for bare die integration into a yarn (by means of micromachining),
a new interconnect technology based on mechanical crimping, and the development
of a stretchable interposer serving as a stress relief interface between the
rigid component and the elastic fabric. The technologies will also be assessed
in a functional evaluation and reliability testing program. The proposed solutions
for integration of electronics in textile will cover a whole range of components,
from ultra-small LEDs to complex multichip modules. Moreover, a system design
task will tackle the power distribution and system partitioning aspects to provide
a complete solution for integration of a distributed sensor/actuator system
in fabric.
Four applications areas will be addressed by the project. For outdoor sports
and leisure wear, luminous textile with integrated photovoltaic cells will be
developed. Moreover, washability will be addressed, as this is an essential
aspect of intelligent clothes. PASTA will also explore a bed linen application
with an integrated sensor to monitor humidity and signal excessive humidity
due to bed-wetting. Two home-textile safety applications will be addressed by
integration of building evacuation markings using LEDs. And last, a fabric will
be developed which allows non-destructive in-situ monitoring of accumulated
stress in composites to predict the residual life-time and to indicate damage
of industrial components.
PASTA is a 4-year project, coordinated by imec, and will build on the results
of the very successful STELLA project (FP6) and the extensive textile know-how
in the consortium. Industrial as well as academic players will bring their expertise
to the project: project partners are imec (Belgium), CEA (Commissariat à
l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives), PEP (Association Pôle
Européen de Plasturgie), Sport Soie SAS (France), Fraunhofer IZM, STFI
(Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut), ETTLIN Spinnerei und Weberei Produktions
GmbH & Co KG, Peppermint Holding GmbH (Germany) and CSEM - Centre Suisse
d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (Switzerland).
Imec performs world-leading research in nanoelectronics. Imec leverages its
scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its global partnerships in
ICT, healthcare and energy. Imec delivers industry-relevant technology solutions.
In a unique high-tech environment, its international top talent is committed
to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society.
Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands,
Taiwan, US, China and Japan. Its staff of more than 1,750 people includes over
550 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2009, imec's revenue (P&L)
was 275 million euro.