A multifunctional fabric, a fabricating method thereof and an outdoor garment are described. The multifunctional fabric comprises: a PTFE microporous membrane; wherein the PTFE microporous membrane is added with an inorganic nano luminescent material. In this way, after the fabric is made into garments, particularly when it is applied in outdoor sports garments, the inorganic nano luminescent material can absorb UV rays to make the garments glow, thereby not only improving aesthetics of the garments, but also reducing damage of the UV rays to human health. In addition, by adding the inorganic nano luminescent material in the PTFE microporous membrane, the problems of poor firmness and persistence of a single PTFE material can be overcome. Because the molecular bond of the inorganic nano luminescent material has high intensity and is stable, the multifunctional fabric will be durable after it is added with the inorganic nano luminescent material.

The invention relates to a circuit for controlling light sources for a luminous garment, such as footwear, jackets, trousers, caps, belts. The circuit comprises an electric power source, such as a battery, a processor, one or more light sources and a switch. The processor and the light sources are powered by the electric power source. The light sources are connected to the processor, which controls their turning on and turning off, for example selectively based on a light program. The switch is connected to both the electric power source and the processor, and can be operated by the user in order to switch the processor on and off. The circuit is advantageously configured so that the electric resistance inside the processor, between the contact with the switch and the contact with the positive pole of the electric power source, is higher than the circuit resistance upstream of the processor itself, i.e. the resistance between the electric power source and the contact of the processor with the switch. In the event that water or condensation cause the circuit to close, even though the switch is in the open position, the current powering the processor is still insufficient to cause it to be switched on. A method for activating light sources in a luminous garment is also described.

The present disclosure teaches an article of manufacture using an industrial (or commercial) manufacturing process. The article of manufacture comprises an infrared (IR) luminescent material that emits in the IR wavelength range (e.g., from approximately seven-hundred nanometers (˜700 nm) to approximately one millimeter (˜1 mm)) after being excited by incident wavelengths of between ˜100 nm and ˜750 nm (or visible light). In other words, once the material has been exposed to visible light, the material will continue to emit in the IR wavelength range for a period of time, even when the material is no longer exposed to the visible light.

A seam connecting fabric edges is formed by surrounding a first fabric edge with a first plush material strip suitable for the attachment of a hooked material. The first plush material strip defines a first front surface and a first rear surface. A second fabric edge is surrounded with a second plush material strip having a second front surface and a second rear surface. A single strip of a hooked material is deployed behind the first rear surface and the second rear surface. Then, with the first surrounded edge substantially in contact with the second surrounded edge, a force is applied to engage hooks of the single strip of hooked material with said first rear surface and said second rear surface.

Color changing systems include a color changing article or device that includes a color, text, and pattern changing hardware. Smart devices or other standalone controllers provide software instructions to the color changing hardware to produce colors, patterns, and text which appear on the articles or devices. A software app running on the smart device or standalone controller initiates a method of changing colors, text, and patterns of apparel, devices, hard goods, and accessories. The color changing systems include fabrics and other materials including LEDs, LED fiber optic fabrics, electroluminescence (EL), bioluminescence, electrochromatics, E-ink, OLED, light guides, printed nano LEDs, photonic ink, and other materials. The systems selectively apply an analog voltage or data stream to the output material to produce an article with a selected color, text or pattern. A camera or color detector can be used to select colors for display.

Triboelectric nanogenerators are provided that are textile-based, combine embroidery, silanizing agents, highly networked conductive nanoparticles, and a conformable electronegative layer, and can produce a stable energy source with high power density. Electronic textiles are also provided that utilize such triboelectric nanogenerators to convert the biomechanical energy of a wearer into electrostatic energy that can power electronic devices coupled with the triboelectric nanogenerator. Methods of manufacturing the triboelectric nanogenerators and related electronic textiles are also provided.

An article of apparel can include or use an electroadhesive clutch device. The device can include an elongate encasing for a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly each having a respective first and second electrode. The first and second electrodes can be at least partially overlapping and configured to slide or move relative to each other. The device can include an electrical signal generator configured to provide first and second signals to the first and second electrode assemblies, respectively, wherein the first electrode assembly is configured to slide laterally relative to the second electrode assembly when the first and second signals are not applied, and is configured to remain static relative to the second electrode assembly when the first and second signals are applied. The apparel can include a textile material to which the encasing is attached at least at a first end of the encasing.

Some implementations of this disclosure provide an electronically customizable article comprising a fashion article selected from the group consisting of a handbag, a shoe, glasses, a tie, and a bowtie wherein the fashion article comprises an electronic visual display, a processor, a communication interface for communication between the fashion article and a network, and a non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the fashion article to connect to a server over the network, receive data from the server, and display one or more images associated with the data on the electronic visual display.

A panel of a vehicle may be provided with or configured to provide interactive skin. The interactive skin may be configured for accepting touch input from a user. The interactive skin may include one or more flexible layers and may include or be mounted under a transparent display cover layer such as a layer of clear glass or plastic. Interactive skin may include a touch-sensitive layer that allows a user to provide touch input to the panel of the vehicle. Display pixels on interactive skin may be used to display visual information to the user. The interactive skin may be configured for detecting a condition of at least one panel and generating an output function in response to the detected condition.

Systems and methods for integrating and using sensor system in articles of apparel are provided. The system may include an apparel piece sized and dimensioned to be worn on a user and a sensor system integrated with the apparel piece. The sensor system may include at least one stretchable capacitive sensor positioned on the apparel piece so as to measure a biometric parameter of the user when the apparel piece is worn, an illumination system configured to provide illumination in a specified illumination area based on the measured biometric parameter of the user, and a control module to control one or more settings of the illumination system.