The project “Connecting Textiles” aimed to transform interior walls into cable‑based power and communication pathways for Internet‑of‑Things (IoT) devices while adding intuitive, gesture‑based interaction on textile surfaces. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 16SV8248) and running from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2022 (extended by six months due to COVID‑19), the effort was led by Dr. Serge Autexier and carried out by the DFKI research areas Cyber‑Physical Systems (Bremen) and Interactive Textiles (Berlin). Seven work packages guided the development: requirements definition, interaction design, mechanical integration, energy and communication architecture, demonstrator construction, evaluation, and industrial transfer. The project’s partners included industry representatives from production and smart‑home sectors, who were engaged in the final transfer phase to assess business models and market potential.
Technically, the project delivered two functional manufacturing principles for the textile substrates. First, polarized magnets were embedded into the fabric, allowing a universal patch concept: the textile carries fixed magnetic poles, and user‑designed patches with matching polarity can be attached to supply power and establish wired communication. Second, conductive traces were printed on the reverse side of non‑woven textiles or woven into the fabric itself, enabling flexible, low‑loss electrical pathways. These approaches provide a cable‑free, low‑profile solution that can be integrated into existing wall coverings without the need for extensive rewiring.
The energy and physical communication concept was complemented by a software platform that manages the wired network, handles data routing, and exposes a touch‑sensor interface. The textile surface incorporates capacitive touch sensors that detect haptic gestures. The platform interprets these gestures and maps them to device commands, enabling intuitive control of connected IoT actuators. The system was evaluated through three demonstrator iterations, each refined based on user feedback collected in 60‑minute sessions. Video, audio, and photographic recordings were used to produce a usability report that informed subsequent design cycles.
User studies employed the AttrakDiff questionnaire and the QUESI cognitive load assessment. AttrakDiff results positioned the prototype in the desired “desired” quadrant, indicating overall attractiveness across age, gender, and technology affinity groups. However, the hedonic dimension showed room for improvement, particularly in identity and stimulation aspects. QUESI analysis revealed that younger participants experienced lower cognitive load and higher task success, suggesting that the gesture interface aligns well with users familiar with touch devices. Feedback highlighted the need for clearer interaction metaphors, more reliable touch detection, and expanded gesture vocabularies.
Based on these findings, the project outlined future enhancements: adding richer application scenarios such as sound, climate control, and security; incorporating family‑friendly and age‑adaptive functions; offering greater personalization of patch design and gesture sets; and improving the reliability of the touch field. The modular demonstrator concept, developed to accommodate decentralized work during pandemic restrictions, also facilitates rapid prototyping and integration of new features.
In the final phase, the team prepared a transfer package for industry partners, detailing production workflows, safety and redundancy measures, and potential business models. The project’s outcomes provide a scalable, low‑profile solution for embedding power, communication, and interaction into everyday living spaces, paving the way for responsive, intelligent smart‑home environments.