The present invention provides a chargeable sheath/core-structured fiber that contains a polypropylene-based resin as a main resin, wherein the sheath part contains (a) a carboxylic anhydride-modified polyolefin and (b) at least one antioxidant selected from the group consisting of a combined antioxidant a phenolic antioxidant and a phosphorus-based antioxidant, and sulfur-based antioxidants; and (c) an oil containing a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether represented by the general formula (I) as a finishing oil is deposited on the outer surface of the sheath part, and that can satisfy heat resistance and charge retainability. (In the formula, R.sup.1 represents a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 10 to 30 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and k is an integer of 1 to 4.)

##STR00001##

A touch-sensitive textile device that is configured to detect the occurrence of a touch, the location of a touch, and/or the force of a touch on the touch-sensitive textile device. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive threads oriented along a first direction, and a second set of conductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction. The device may also include a sensing circuit that is operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first and second set of conductive threads. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a touch or near touch based on a variation in an electrical measurement using the first or second set of conductive threads.

One or more electrical components may be incorporated into a piece of fabric. The electrical component may include an internal portion that is located inside of the fabric, an external portion that is located on an exterior surface of the fabric, and protrusions that extend through the fabric to electrically and/or mechanically couple the internal and external portions of the electrical component. The internal portion of the component may be inserted into the fabric during formation of the fabric. The external portion of the component may be coupled to the internal portion after the fabric is formed by inserting the protrusions on the internal portion into recesses in the external portion. The external portion of the component may contain skin-facing and/or viewer-facing input-output devices, while the internal portion may contain circuitry that electrically communicates with the input-output devices in the external portion.

A conductive human interface has a fabric layer with an interior surface and an exterior surface. A soft coating overlies the interior surface of the fabric layer. An electrode or sensor is included to connect with a residual limb. A conductive path connects the electrode or sensor with an electrical connector which, in turn connects with a prosthetic or other assistive device. The conductive path includes a conductor having a section overlying the fabric layer. The overlying section of the conductor can be cord of conductive thread. A nonconductive support thread can extend through the fabric layer from the exterior surface to the interior surface, and further around the conductor to secure the overlying section of the conductor to the fabric layer.

A wearable article comprising a knitted fabric formed in the shape of a glove. A force sensing element coupled to the fabric, the force sensing element comprising a resistive sensing system and a fluidic sensing system comprising one or more soft tubes coupled to a surface of the wearable glove wherein the resistive and fluid sensing systems correspond to first and second different sensor modalities which are physically decoupled. Control circuitry is coupled to receive signals from both the resistive sensing system and the fluidic sensing system and to combine resistive and fluidic sensing system signals provided thereto to perform at least one of: pose estimation, environment sensing, human state sensing, and static and dynamic task identification.

Provided are a haptic feedback fiber body, a haptic feedback fabric, and a wearable device. The haptic feedback fiber body can include a core fiber having a first electrode to surround the outer surface thereof, and a vibrating fiber, provided so as to intermittently contact the outer surface of the core fiber, including a second electrode on the inner surface thereof, wherein a piezoelectric polymer is provided on the outer surface of the first electrode or on the inner surface of the second electrode to generate fretting vibrations when the polymer is in close contact with the first electrode or the second electrode on which the piezoelectric polymer is disposed opposite to each other.

A fabric article (100) comprising a continuous body of knitted fabric (100). The continuous body of fabric (100) comprises: a base component (101) comprising a plurality of courses of nonconductive yarn and a sensing component (107) comprising a first conductive region (109). The first conductive region (109) comprises at least one course of conductive yarn. The fabric article 100) is manufactured using a knitting machine comprising first and second needle beds. One or both of the first and second needle beds are used to knit the base component (101). The first needle bed is used to knit the first conductive region (109). A second conductive region (111) may be knit using the second needle bed. A conductive pathway (113) connecting the first conductive region (109) to the second conductive region (111) may be knit using the first or second needle bed.

Embodiments relate to conductive textiles and methods of their production, as well as systems for electronically connecting devices through conductive textiles. An example textile comprises a first electrically conductive track; a second electrically conductive track; and at least one non-conductive portion. At least a portion of the first electrically conductive track overlaps or is in close proximity to at least a portion of the second electrically conductive track. At least said portions of the respective tracks are separated by an insulating material so that there is no electrical coupling between the first and second tracks.

Disclosed is a wearable step counter system comprising a garment for a wearer's legs, a capacitive electrode and a microcontroller, said garment comprising a textile fabric portion, said capacitive electrode comprising an electrically conductive yarn woven into said textile fabric portion, said textile fabric portion being arranged on said garment for providing a parasitic capacitive coupling between said capacitive electrode and a wearer's leg, said microcontroller being electrically connected to said capacitive electrode for evaluating said parasitic capacitive coupling so that the relative movement between the wearer's legs is detected by the microcontroller.

A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.