Smart Uniforms

For centuries British soldiers have wanted to look smart with their dress uniforms. But now the British army is experimenting with a different type of smart uniform, one that actually includes not smart looking fabrics, but rather actually smart fabrics that could include electrically conducting yarn woven directly into the clothing.

The result would be that there would no longer be the need to use cumbersome batteries and integrate cabling. Instead these “e-textiles”, as it is called in the concept stage, would actually offer uniforms a single, central power source. The biggest benefit of this would be that it could enable soldiers to recharge just one battery instead of having to manage many, and further reduce the total number of cables in their kit for higher efficiency. This could result in a lighter weight uniform, but also allow for electronic devices to simply be attached and powered up.

And this could certainly have advantages for civilian products as well. Imagine an outfit that would be attached to all your gizmos and gadgets. Smart attired indeed.