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Wearable electronic devices are rapidly gaining prominence both in the military and in the commercial world, although major technical deficiencies remain in the area of packaging and interconnection. Electronics designers have typically focused on device design without considering the huge disparity between the performance of an unpackaged device in a laboratory setting and its performance in the field.
Foster-Miller has established itself as the leader in developing and delivering practical solutions for wearable electronics networks with cables and connectors that are as flexible as the fabric itself. One area Foster-Miller has been working on is attachment of wearable flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs). This work focuses on integration of the textile and printed circuit board fields, specifically materials modifications necessary to enable the high flexibility of textiles as well as practical issues of mechanical wear and machine washing durability.
For example, we are adapting RF welding technology, commonly used in the garment industry, for textile electronics attachment. RF welding attaches large polymeric patches to clothing resulting in a secure, washable fabric that can withstand rubbing and abrasion. Our simple modification of the technology provides allows fabrication of waterproof electronic packages that are conformal to the textile and resist detachment.
Printable Version
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