An Embroidery Touch Sensor With Layered Structure of Conductive and Nonconductive Threads

Textile-based touch sensing methods for ubiquitous and wearable interfaces employ multiple independent or specific shaped electrodes, leading to limitations on three aspects: design freedom of electrode shape, durability, and simple production. We introduce the creation approach of an embroidery touch sensor by adding embroidery using nonconductive threads on top of an electrode made of conductive threads. Changes of stitch densities of the nonconductive thread embroidery lead to differences in electrical properties, which can be useful to distinguish which part of the embroidery is touched. Our method enables the creation of touch-sensitive embroidery with high design freedom of electrode shape and durability in a simple process.