A Touchscreen T-Shirt

Today, technology is becoming much more interactive than it was in the past. Game consoles, computers, tablets and smart phones are all becoming touchscreen-based devices. Which is why it was only a matter of time before touchscreen wearable items also came into play. At the University of Exeter, a team of researchers have created a revolutionary material adapted from Graphene called GraphExeter, which is only one-atom thick and claims to be ‘the most transparent, lightweight and flexible material ever for conducting electricity’.

The material can be sandwiched between non-electrical objects, thereby turning them into devices. What this essentially means is that it can be used to make clothing containing computers and other electronic equipment possible, along with making objects like windows and mirrors ‘smart’. A spray-on version is also being created which could be applied straight onto the aforementioned objects.

Dr Monica Craciun, lead researcher on the project, says, GraphExeter could revolutionize the electronics industry. It outperforms any other carbon-based transparent conductor used in electronics and could be used for a range of applications, from solar panels to ‘smart’ t-shirts. ‘We are very excited about the potential of this material and look forward to seeing where it can take the electronics industry in the future.’ _

By: Tanvi Chug
Follow me on Twitter: @Chimerical_T