E-textiles to control home appliances

Are you feeling lazy to get up and switch off TV or fans? A new invention by Chinese researchers has a way out. Just swipe your finger on your wristband made from a new type of electronic textile (e-textile), according to a report in the ?ACS Nano? journal published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Jiaona Wang, at the School of Materials Science & Engineering in Beijing and co-workers have developed the new type of e-textile that allows a person to control household appliances or computers from a distance simply by touching a wristband or other item of clothing, ?something that could be particularly helpful for those with limited mobility?, the report says.

E-textiles are not new, but most existing versions have poor air permeability, can’t be laundered or are too costly or complex to mass-produce, ACS said in a press release. ?The self-powered E-textile developed by the researchers overcomes all of these limitations, is washable and highly sensitive to human touch.?