The mechanism of IoT in smart textiles involves the integration of various components to create a ‘smart’ textile that can collect, process, and transmit data, and respond to environmental and physiological changes in real time.
Smart textiles are embedded with various types of sensors, such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, etc.
These sensors collect data from the environment and from the wearer’s body.
Smart textiles also include actuators, which respond to the data collected by sensors. Examples of actuators include motors, pumps, and electro-active polymers.
Microcontrollers are used to process the data collected by sensors and actuators. They are the ‘brain’ of the smart textile, and they can execute algorithms to make decisions based on the data collected.
Smart textiles need to be connected to the internet to enable data transfer and communication with other devices. This is typically achieved using wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee.
The data collected by smart textiles is usually stored and processed in the cloud. Cloud computing enables real-time data analysis and provides insights into the performance of the smart textile.
Smart textiles can be controlled and monitored using mobile apps. These apps enable the user to interact with the smart textile, adjust settings, and receive alerts.