MAS Innovation Newsletter June 2014 | Page 15

PAGE 15 “Smart fabrics are currently extremely fractured in their actual and potential end-use market applications, as well as the products that are being provided. There are few transparent supply chains and widely varying prices.” - Smithers Apex Market Intelligence Input: sensors, buttons, touch interfaces Store/Process Data: flash, SD Apparel Integrated Network Power Source: batteries, solar, bodyhead In the same way, we could create integrated apparel, which follows an open standard. They could be little roads or superhighways, in terms of quality and capability, at different price points. They could connect to sensors, power sources, processors and data stores. We could purely focus on delivering a usable and trustable system, integrated seamlessly into apparel. We could become technology enablers, rather than focusing on any one application. Output Information: audio, haptics, displays An API, or Application Programming Interface would be the next step. What is an API? Imagine this platform only understands Greek. We speak English. You would need a translator, which is the API. “Microsoft’s Kinect opened many doors; simply by releasing a great product coupled with an open API.” Read more Think of a day when everything from you gym outfit to office wear to lingerie remain connected seamlessly, through your choice of device(s), simply because we created smart apparel for different brands and market segments. Consumers get to pick their device or application, but it is we who can make it more usable by integrating the technology platform into different types of apparel. "Heapsylon CEO Davide Vigano predicts that e-textile yarns will replace conductive materials, and smart fabrics will replace sensor technology." Read more We won’t be governed much by consumer choice if we move fast and lay the groundwork for the wearable tech space. We can possibly be the pioneering enabler. CONNECT WITH MAS INNOVATION please email [email protected] if you have any comments, questions or ideas.