ABSTRACT
This chapter defines a smart textile system and explains the six functions of a smart textile system such as Sensing, Actuating, Powering/generating/storing, Communicating, Data processing and Interconnecting. Smart materials can be processed into a textile material. The most commonly accepted definition is that intelligent materials and systems are capable to sense and respond to their surrounding environment in a predictable and useful manner. Smart materials arise from research in many different fields. One example is thermochromic materials, changing their color in response to changes in temperature. They can be made as semiconductor compounds, from liquid crystals or using metal compounds. The smart textile system can sense its environment, act upon it and adapt its behavior to it. The different functions may be in form of electronic devices or an inherent property of the material or the textile structure. Precondition, however, is the garments’ capability to remain flexible, comfortable to wear, washable, durable and resistant to textile maintenance processes.
