»High-tech in Textiles« was the slogan of the Fraunhofer Forum in Munich on October 22nd. What the term »smart textiles« actually means, what research has to be conducted and what the most interesting ideas for the future are, were presented by experts from industry and research over an evening attended by approximately 300 at Fraunhofer Haus. Speakers included Fraunhofer IZM Director Prof. Klaus-Dieter Lang on »Interactive clothes and alarm textiles«, which is one of the institute’s key research areas.

In the concurrent exhibition, various clothing items designed by students and professors of the Weißensee Academy of Art and implemented in cooperation with IZM researchers were displayed. The pieces included a coat with an interactive lighting pattern and the blue silk dress Klight, which translates its wearer’s movements into patterns of light. A particular highlight was the sound installation Soundscape by Paula van Brummelen, comprising 5228 hand-folded pieces of fabric covered with graphite that emitted different tones when touched.