Conductive Yarns and Threads

Maker Education

What is Maker Education, What does it Accomplish?

What is Maker Education, What does it accomplish?  Maker Education is a project-based learning experience.  It incorporates hands-on experiences along with didactic learning, facilitating education.  The projects focus on problem solving by having students take a project from concept to reality.  Maker Education involves integrating several educational areas:  Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM).  The project could teach the roles of science of electricity, the technology and engineering of a circuit, the art of a light display, and the...
Everyday uses of Metalized Textiles!

Home Shielding is Smart, Protect your Family from RF Exposure!

Home Shielding is Smart, Protect your Family from RF Exposure!  RF Radiation is more prevalent than ever in today's world.  There are many sources of this, some natural, many human generated.  We live in a world with many electronic devices.  Every device adds to the E-Smog that surrounds us. Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS), is a clinical syndrome characterized by the presence of a wide spectrum of non-specific symptoms.  These symptoms include:  headaches, body pain, lethargy, tinnitus, burning sensation, heart arrhythmia, and...
Conductive Thread

Conductive Thread is used as Wiring in E-Textile Projects-Try it and See!

Conductive thread is used as wiring in e-textile projects, try it and see!  There are several types of conductive threads available: Silver Coated Yarns/Threads- These are nylon sewing threads that have been plated with 99% pure silver.  It can be sewn by hand or used as both top and bobbin thread in sewing machines.  Please note that these conductive yarns are NOT FOR SOLDERED CONNECTIONS TO YOUR COMPONENT, as the nylon interior of the yarn/thread can not tolerate the heat...
Image Courtesy of Chemistry Learner

Silver is the Best Thermal Conductive Element, Creating Comfort!

Silver is the best thermal conductive element, creating comfort!  Silver's thermal conductivity accounts for a great benefit provided by fabrics that are made with silver containing yarns and fabrics.  This property is measured in Watts per meter per degree Kelvin, W/M°K.  The high thermal conductivity of Silver is due to its electron configuration!  Silver's electrons are are "loosely held" due to its low nuclear charge.  This allows them to move more easily, resulting in efficient energy transfer.  The energy transferred...
Metalized Textiles in Smart Military Uniforms!

What is Resistance Heating, What are its Applications?

What is Resistance Heating and What are its Applications? Resistance heating is heat generated by an electrical current passing through a resistor.  The heat comes from electrical energy being converted to thermal energy.  There are many applications for Resistance Heating:  Aeronautics, Automotive, Military, and Smart Clothing industries to name a few. How is Resistance Heating Used in the Aeronautics Industry? In the aeronautics industry, resistance heating is used for de-icing the wings of aircraft in inclement weather.  If the leading edges of airplane...
Conductive Metalized Textiles

What are Sensors, and what do they do for us in Automobiles?

What is a Sensor? A sensor is a device that measures a physical property and records, indicates, or otherwise responds to it.  Sensors seem to be present everywhere these days and their numbers are ever increasing.  They monitor many and varied complex systems, looking for abnormalities.  The automotive industry depends heavily upon sensors, there are many present in automobiles, where people spend lots of their time. What do Sensors in Automobiles tell Us? Sensors in the Automobile cabin are essentially Human Machine Interface...
TPU Yarn a Conductive Yarn "Wire"!

What is TPU Wire? What is TPU Wire used for?

What is TPU Wire? The answer is simple.  TPU "wire" is really a silver metalized yarn coated with Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU) as an insulator.  We usually think of "wire" as a solid metal cylinder that carries current.  In this case, the silver metalized yarn has all of the conductive properties of a wire due to silver's excellent conductivity, except that it isn't solid and due to the textile properties of a yarn, it can flex easily.  This flexibility makes the the...
Conductive Textiles in Healthcare-Medical Advancements!

A New use for Conductive Yarns, Embroidered Sensors and Electrodes!

If you think about it, a sensor is a conductive material that is attached to the skin and used to transmit readings of biometric information such as heart rate, brain activity, and other bodily functions through a wire to a recording device, giving your health professional a good idea of how your body is working.  An electrode is like a sensor as it is made of conductive material and attached to the skin, but instead of transmitting information away, it...

Silverized Fabrics, Comfortable to Wear and Beneficial to Your Health as Well!!

V Technical Textiles, Inc. provides a line of clothing made with Silverized knits and fabrics.  These conductive metalized textiles make the clothing more comfortable, as the silver is a great conductor of heat.  This conductivity spreads the natural body heat that it absorbs throughout the surface of the garment, creating an even and balanced body temperature, lessening the presence of "hot spots and cold spots", and making the wearer feel more comfortable.  This "balancing" of the body temperature increases circulation,...
Metalized Conductive Textile Applications-Variety

Sensors and Electrodes- A Perfect use for Metalized Textiles!

Most of us are familiar with the sensors that our health professionals use to gather many types of biometric information about the function of our electrical body organs including:  the brain, heart, nerves, temperature, blood oxygen saturation, humidity, and muscles.  Electrodes are also carriers of electric current for stimulation therapy for nerves TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and muscles EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation). Traditionally, these sensors have been "wet Silver Chloride Sensors".  The "wet part" is a gel to provide reduction...