A filter includes filter medium that screens out impurities from a fluid, and a conductive thread contacting the filter medium. A power source provides electric current flowing through the conductive thread, which causes electrical phenomena that is detected by a sensor. A sensor detects the electrical phenomena resulting from the flow of electric current through the conductive thread. Buildup on impurities in the filter causes a change in the electrical phenomena, which change is detected by the sensor and indicates the level of impurities in the filter. An indicator is in communication with the sensor, and provides an alert that the filter should be replaced when the level of impurities exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The present disclosure is directed to multifunctional conductive wire and methods of making multifunctional conductive wire. According to some aspects, the multifunctional conductive wire disclosed herein can function as a current carrier and as a battery, either for providing or storing power. The multifunctional conductive wires disclosed herein can eliminate the need for heavy metal conductors in various devices while improving power efficiency.

Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are directed to articles of clothing that allow for monitoring of different analytes (e.g., electrolytes and molecules) in human sweat during fitness activity, while training, or simply in everyday life. The clothing includes a sensor system completely integrated in textile such that every sensing part is made of textile fibers. The clothing is able to control, collect, analyze, and expel the sweat over time. The textile sensor allows a spontaneous absorption of body sweat directly from the skin, while it is produced, using the hydrophilic natural properties of the textile. Then, once adsorbed, the flux of sweat is controlled and guided through the textile using a gradient of the textile's hydrophilic properties. The sweat guided through the textile is analyzed through an electrochemical sensor woven into the textile. Finally, the sweat is collected in a reservoir and expelled for evaporation.

A yarn comprising a plurality of bicomponent filaments having a first region comprising a first polymer composition and a second region comprising a second polymer composition, each of the first and second regions being distinct in the bicomponent filaments; each bicomponent filament comprising 5 to 60 weight percent of the first polymer composition and 95 to 40 weight percent of the second polymer composition; wherein the first polymer composition comprises aramid polymer containing 0.5 to 20 weight percent discrete homogeneously dispersed carbon particles and the second polymer composition comprises modacrylic polymer being free of discrete carbon particles; the yarn having a total content of 0.1 to 5 weight percent discrete carbon particles.

A piezoelectric thread that includes a core thread; and a piezoelectric film wound around the core thread. The piezoelectric thread is constructed to generate a charge by energy imparted from outside of the piezoelectric thread.

Provided are a stretchable wire tape for a textile that can maintain high levels in all of stretchability, electrical conductivity, durability, an insulating property, and design and can also have a reduced production cost, wearable devices, and a method for producing textiles having wires. The stretchable wire tape for the textile includes a stretchable electrically conductive wire, and stretchable insulating films each including a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the stretchable insulating films being bonded to opposite sides of the stretchable electrically conductive wire on their first faces. Since the stretchable insulating films are bonded to the opposite sides of the stretchable electrically conductive wire via bonding layers, durability and an insulating property can be secured while stretchability and electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive wire can be maintained, and design can also be improved.

An antibacterial yarn that includes a core yarn including a functional polymer that generates a charge by external energy and a first sheath yarn higher in hygroscopicity than the core yarn, the first sheath yarn covering at least a part of a periphery of the core yarn across an axial direction of the core yarn.

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.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a graphene conductive fabric, which includes mixing a first solvent, a second solvent and nano-graphene sheets, dispersing the nano-graphene sheets with a mechanical force to form a graphene suspension solution; adding at least a curable resin to the graphene suspension solution, dispersing the nano-graphene sheets and the curable resin with the mechanical force to form a graphene resin solution; coating or printing the graphene resin solution on a hydrophobic protective layer, curing the graphene resin solution to form a graphene conductive layer adhered to the hydrophobic protective layer; coating a hot glue layer on the graphene conductive layer; and attaching a fibrous tissue on the hot glue layer, heating and pressing the fibrous tissue to allow the hot glue layer respectively adhere to the graphene conductive layer and the fibrous tissue.

A fiber capable of switching optical states is provided. The fiber includes a laminate having a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and an electro-optic material between the first and second electrode layers, at least one of the first and second electrode layers being light-transmissive and a sheath surrounding the laminate. The fiber may have a ribbon-like structure, i.e. a width that is substantially greater than its thickness. The electro-optic medium may be an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.