Responsive Embroidered Surfaces (REmS)

What if traditional embroidery could be transformed into dynamic, responsive biointeractive surfaces?

This project explores the potential of embroidery, an age-old technique, to create biointeractive textiles. By integrating materials that change over time, such as temperature-sensitive threads, ph-sensitive threads, hydrogels, or living elements like moss and seeds, we aim to transform static designs into dynamic, responsive surfaces. This blend of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary biointeractive innovation exemplifies BInD’s ethos of creative fabrication.

The basic interaction module in this project is the use of smart programmable bioactive  threads, within the embroidered textiles, allowing them to change over time and interact with the user’s body as well as  their environment and also act as an interface between the body and environment .

Traditional embroidery, while rich in history and aesthetic value, remains largely static and unresponsive to environmental changes. There is a significant opportunity to enhance the functionality of embroidered textiles by making them adaptive and interactive, which can lead to innovations in various fields, from fashion and healthcare to urban greening and architecture.

We employ computational tools to design the morphology and program the functionality of these tunable textiles. Advanced biofabrication techniques are used to integrate responsive biomaterials into the embroidery (at the fiber  or the fabric level ), creating textiles that can respond to stimuli such as temperature and humidity. This involves detailed design and testing to ensure the materials behave as expected in different conditions.

Our approach is novel because it bridges traditional embroidery techniques with biomaterials and biofabrication technologies. This integration not only enhances the aesthetic and functional properties of textiles but also opens up new possibilities for smart, sustainable designs. The vision for the future includes applying these biointeractive embroidered surfaces in various contexts, from wearable health monitors and smart textiles to large-scale urban installations and interactive architectural elements, demonstrating the transformative potential of this ancient craft in modern applications.