Feasibility of smart-textiles for vehicle-exterior: impact of disturbances

Abstract

There are many challenges when using Smart-Textile controls with conductive yarn in daily activities involving vehicle exteriors. To test its general feasibility, disruptive factors like keys, rings, or skin care products as well as sensor knitting densities and -sizes need to be accounted for, in its day-to-day use. To investigate the influences of those disruptive factors and variables, multiple test series are concluded within a constructed test environment. The tests provide pre-defined distances between a finger and a Smart-Textile button, to research differences in the reactivity of the sensor. The results show that the use of the Smart-Textile with disruptive factors and changing variables can be challenging to implement due to interferences with the expected signals but can be accounted for when installed properly. Furthermore, the results provide a more advanced understanding of common influences with regards to the individual factors intensities and the following actual returned signals. Through those results, suitable configurations, and limitations for Smart-Textile sensors in vehicle exteriors can be derived.