The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has established a center for excellence in smart textiles. The IIT Delhi’s state-of-the-art SMITA (Smart Materials and Innovative Textile Applications) Research Lab has been converted into a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Smart Textiles.
IIT Delhi has set up the centre in order to work in the area of smart and functional textiles using emerging materials and process materials that will directly benefit the textile industry in the country.
Some of the major thrust areas of the centre of excellence (CoE) are as follows,
- Development of highly functional and high-performance textile materials using nanomaterials, nanofibres, and nano-engineered materials.
- Development of wearable textiles, also known as electronic textiles.
- Development of functional textiles for healthcare applications.
According to the IIT Delhi statement, Textiles is an essential area for India as it is the second-largest employer after agriculture. It significantly contributes to and affects our economy through both domestic consumption and exports. However, the apparel sector is facing stiff competition from other low cost producing countries.
V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi, said that the institute has converted SMITA into a CoE in smart textiles so as to enhance the impact that IIT Delhi can make in the technical textile domain and to expedite the developments in this area.
He said that the creation of the centre has brought together several researchers from different disciplines to promote futuristic smart textiles.
The center's coordinator, Professor Ashwini Agrawal from the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, IIT Delhi, said that smart textiles and wearable electronics are being researched worldwide. As a result, it is predicted that this will bring many unprecedented changes in elderly care, communications, healthcare, and sports, etc.
The centre of excellence (CoE) will work towards the design, development, and integration of smart functionalities into textile substrates, he said.
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