Clevertex - Grado Zero Espace Srl

Another example in the field electronic interior textiles is the “Thinking carpet” developed by the
German company Vorwerk Teppichwerkein co-operation with Infineon. The carpet is a current
development with integrated heat and pressure sensors. In this case, sensors act as touch detectors
and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as display elements. However, these do not appear to have a textile
element, they are woven into the carpet structure by the use of wires. A prototype of the “Thinking
carpet” was presented at the international Orgatec trade fair in Cologne /Germany in 2004 [58].
The IT+Textiles research programme of the Interactive Institute in Sweden (already mentioned in
2.1.4.1), funded by VINNOVA, the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems, intends to explore the
potential of design in the field computational technology and textiles. For this purpose, attention is paid
to technical possibilities of these new materials. In the scope of the programme ‘The Energy Curtain:
Energy Awareness’ was created. The Energy Curtain is a window shade woven from a combination of
textile solar-collection and light-emitting materials. During the day, the shade can be drawn to the
extent that people choose to collect sunlight and, during the evening, the collected energy is released
so that pattern glows and thus gives light. The first prototype of the curtain consists of two layers, an
inner and an outer layer, which are sewn together at the edges and horizontal seams secure the entire
span of the curtain.
The inner layer, which faces the inside of a room, has a cotton plain weave ground structure. Into this
structure optical fibres are inserted. The ends of the fibres are connected to white LED lights, which
are hidden together with the cables and other electronic parts in between the inner and the outer layer
of the curtain. The lighting effect of the inner layer is a result of the light from the LEDs conducted
through the optical fibres. In order to amplify the light emitted from the optical fibres, a reflective or a
fluorescent yarn is inserted into the weaving structure underneath each fibre. Thus, an effect of
increased light reflection is caused.
Fig. 63 Inner layer of the energy curtain with integrated reflective and afterglow materials
The outer fabric layer that faces the window glass is made out of a cotton weave construction. As the
structure consists of long floats, solar cells can be inserted. They are each soldered to a wire that
conveys the electricity collected from the sunlight away for storage. So far in the prototype
65