Symposium FN
Smart and Interactive Textiles - From Nano-engineered Textile Fibres to Integrated Wearable Systems

The sensing/adapting/responding, multi functionality, low energy, small size and weight, ease of forming and low cost attributes of SMART Textiles and their multidisciplinary scope offer numerous end uses in Medical, Sports and Fitness, Military, Fashion, Automotive, Aerospace, Built Environment and Energy industries. The quest of these new and high value materials cross scientific boundaries redefine material science, design and engineering and find new uses. As such SMART and Interactive Textiles are particularly important to life quality and in sustaining energy and our environment.
The smart and interactive textiles market size will exceed USD 6.5 billion by 2024, with the healthcare and well-being sectors being a significant driving force and Telemedicine enabled with sensor-based garments is expected to exceed 50% CAGR in the next 5 years.
Research for highly specific applications is increasing in exploring the opportunities offered by manipulating textile materials down to the nanoscale for creating new “smart” adaptive/active functionality, and by the development of "E- textiles” offering intelligent flexible integrated systems capable of sensing, actuation and wireless communication in the form of  intelligent high-tech fabrics and wearable garments. The development of these systems presents a complex set of interdisciplinary challenges that includes materials design, hierarchical integration, control strategies and manufacturing.
This symposium, following the successful tradition of previous CIMTEC events on the same subject (2010, 2014 and 2016), will address the latest research on adaptive and active textiles and garments stemmed from the use of novel materials, and by the effective design and integration of devices for bio sensing, diagnostics and actuation, based on electrically, optically and mechanically functionalized fibres, yarns and fabrics. Hence areas of research focus of the symposium are on nanomaterials; their morphology, functionality and performance, on actuators, sensors, connections, energy generation and storage, and  on communication devices for smart textiles and wearable systems. The industrial sectors being covered are diverse and not limited to medical, sport and fitness, fashion, automotive, aerospace, energy, architecture, personal protection, military and the Internet of Things.
Translation aspects from laboratory to commercial products, including industrial processes, manufacturing strategies and consumer demand, will also be relevant for the symposium as a matter for discussion and sharing of expertise from academia and industry.