Sensory Fabric for ubiquitous interfaces

Sensory Fabric is a technology that uses electrically conductive textiles t o fabricate switches and sensors. In this article we examine how a number o f broad device types, or form factors, can be reconfigured or made more ubi quitous by replacing their traditional interface hardware with Sensory Fabr ic. The implications of using a fabric solution are explored for handheld a nd personal devices, educational computing, and the personal computer inter face. Each case study describes a number of technology demonstrator devices , using them to illustrate how some of the drawbacks of traditionally packa ged interfaces can be countered. Sensory Fabric can replace small, cold, ha rd, heavy, and smooth interfaces with large area, warm, soft, lightweight, and tactile ones.