Photo Story

Photos: Scientists create soft, flexible musical instruments from fabric

The fabrics can even be connected to external digital devices for music creation and mixing.

Published: Aug 26, 2024 05:25 AM EST

Mrigakshi Dixit

2 days ago

The E-textile project.

Intelligent Instruments Lab

For years, musical instruments have been made from rigid materials like wood and metal. But what if we could create instruments that were soft, flexible, and responsive to touch?

That’s what prompted researchers Sophie Skach and Victor Shepardson of Intelligent Instruments Lab to pursue next-gen “E-textiles.”

They are challenging the traditional notion of what a musical instrument can be. As the name suggests, these are a new class of smart fabrics that can produce sound through simple touch.

Currently in the early phases, the scientists hope to one day make musical instruments out of these smart materials.

“In this project, we introduce textiles as a soft, malleable material for intelligent instruments,” Skach mentioned on the website.

“Interfaces for digital music making often feature plastic or metal – all materials that provide little ﬂexibility and can feel cold. To challenge these conventions, we ask how we can design instruments that are soft, warm, and ﬂexible,” it added.

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Embedded with conductive materials
These fabrics are embedded with conductive materials like silver threads and steel fibers, giving them electronic properties. According to DesignBoom, E-textiles can be used in various ways. They can function as touchscreens, interact with digital devices, and be incorporated into traditional musical instruments. These can even be connected to external digital devices for music creation and mixing. “As such, they are able to act as gestural touch interfaces and can step into a conversation with digital tools,” the website stated.
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Made from yarn-like fabrics
When touched or stroked, they produce a variety of sounds, from gentle scratches to water sloshes. They are comfortable to touch and can be easily shaped to fit various musical instruments. Most of the E-textiles are expected to be made from yarn-like fabrics. The researchers are also exploring other materials that could potentially be used as musical instruments.
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Produces sound when touched
Textiles come in a range of shapes and textures, and as a result, their properties may be used in different ways. The current prototype E-textiles can be used by users to manipulate in various ways, such as stretching, squeezing, and stroking. Reportedly, these smart fabrics may create sounds that enhance music composition and turn instruments into intelligent devices.
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Currently in experimental phase
The design team has experimented with using E-textiles in various applications, including mixing decks made of woven and knitted fabrics and synthesizers made of crocheted sculptures.
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More studies required
The E-textiles project is still in its early stages, and much more research is needed. Skach and team have published a few studies on smart fabrics, including pressure sensors in trousers. They are experimenting with turning various types of textiles into “sensing surfaces and actuators like speakers.”
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Could be future of musical instruments
The project description stated: “We are interested in how such materials can afford new ways of interaction. Textiles are one of those materials that we are ubiquitously surrounded by, in constant touch with, and therefore very familiar as an interface.”
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Smart material research gaining pace
E-textiles have the potential to change the way we interact with music. As research continues, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of this exciting technology in the coming years. Apart from this project, the research into smart fabrics is gaining pace. Researchers at the University of Waterloo have been developing a smart fabric that can turn both body heat and sunlight into power.