Google Inc.

Karen Elizabeth Robinson

Ivan Poupyrev

Mustafa Emre Karagozler

Nan-Wei Gong

Megan Grant

Patricia Hayes-Danitz

Carsten C Schwesig

Shiho Fukuhara

Hakim K Raja

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for connecting an electronic component to an interactive textile. Loose conductive threads of the interactive textile are collected and organized into a ribbon with a pitch that matches a corresponding pitch of connection points of the electronic component. Next, non-conductive material of the conductive threads of the ribbon are stripped to expose the conductive wires of the conductive threads. After stripping the non-conductive material from the conductive threads of the ribbon, the connection points of the electronic component are bonded to the conductive wires of the ribbon. The conductive threads proximate the ribbon are then sealed using a UV-curable or heat-curable epoxy, and the electronic component and the ribbon are encapsulated to the interactive textile with a water-resistant material, such as plastic or polymer.

Connecting an electronic component to an interactive textile

This document describes an interactive object with multiple electronics modules. An interactive object (e.g., a garment) includes a grid or array of conductive thread woven into the interactive object, and an internal electronics module coupled to the grid of conductive thread. The internal electronics module includes a first subset of electronic components, such as sensing circuitry configured to detect touch-input to the grid of conductive thread. An external electronics module that includes a second subset of electronic components (e.g., a microprocessor, power source, or network interface) is removably coupled to the interactive object via a communication interface. The communication interface enables communication between the internal electronics module and the external electronics module when the external electronics module is coupled to the interactive object.

Interactive object with multiple electronics modules

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for attaching electronic components to interactive textiles. In various implementations, an interactive textile that includes conductive thread woven into the interactive textile is received. The conductive thread includes a conductive wire (e.g., a copper wire) that that is twisted, braided, or wrapped with one or more flexible threads (e.g., polyester or cotton threads). A fabric stripping process is applied to the interactive textile to strip away fabric of the interactive textile and the flexible threads to expose the conductive wire in a window of the interactive textile. After exposing the conductive wires in the window of the interactive textile, an electronic component (e.g., a flexible circuit board) is attached to the exposed conductive wire of the conductive thread in the window of the interactive textile.

Attaching electronic components to interactive textiles

Ice skating doll

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Karen Elizabeth Robinson