A Single Fibre Strand Enables On-Body Computation

Abstract

Fibres are being rapidly developed into intelligent devices and systems. Through the integration of microelectronic chips and controllers within individual fibres, these systems can now perform advanced functionalities including sensing, data storage, computational processing, and wireless communication—all integrated into a single fibre. Recently, Fink et al. demonstrated a textile-integrated fibre computer that achieves these multifunctional capabilities while weighing less than 5 g. This breakthrough work provides novel design paradigms for the integration of fibres and electronics, transcending the conventional functional limitations of individual fibres and establishing new research directions in computational textiles.

References

[1] YanW, ZhuM. High-performing semiconductor fibers set a new stage for ambient intelligence. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2024, 6332.

[2] WangZ, WangZ, LiD, YangC, ZhangQ, ChenM, GaoH, WeiL. High-quality semiconductor fibres via mechanical design. Nature, 2024, 62672.

[3] YanW, NoelG, LokeG, MeiklejohnE, KhudiyevT, MarionJ, RuiG, LinJ, CherstonJ, SahasrabudheA, WilbertJ, WicaksonoI, HoytRW, MissakianA, ZhuL, MaC, JoannopoulosJ, FinkY. Single fibre enables acoustic fabrics via nanometre-scale vibrations. Nature, 2022, 603616.

[4] YanW, RichardI, KurtulduG, JamesND, SchiavoneG, SquairJW, Nguyen-DangT, Das GuptaT, QuY, CaoJD, IgnatansR, LacourSP, TileliV, CourtineG, LöfflerJF, SorinF. Structured nanoscale metallic glass fibres with extreme aspect ratios. Nat Nanotechnol, 2020, 15875.

[5] LuC, JiangH, ChengX, HeJ, LongY, ChangY, GongX, ZhangK, LiJ, ZhuZ, WuJ, WangJ, ZhengY, ShiX, YeL, LiaoM, SunX, WangB, ChenP, WangY, PengH. High-performance fibre battery with polymer gel electrolyte. Nature, 2024, 62986.

[6] KimJ, JiaX. Flexible multimaterial fibers in modern biomedical applications. Natl Sci Rev, 2024, 11nwae333.

[7] DangC, WangZ, Hughes-RileyT, DiasT, QianS, WangZ, WangX, LiuM, YuS, LiuR, XuD, WeiL, YanW, ZhuM. Fibres—threads of intelligence—enable a new generation of wearable systems. Chem Soc Rev, 2024, 538790.

[8] ShiJ, LiuS, ZhangL, YangB, ShuL, YangY, RenM, WangY, ChenJ, ChenW, ChaiY, TaoX. Smart textile-integrated microelectronic systems for wearable applications. Adv Mater, 2020, 321901958.

[9] TaoG, ZhangS, ZhuM. Solar-powered clothing for hot and cold environments. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2024, 6338.

[10] LokeG, KhudiyevT, WangB, FuS, PayraS, ShaoulY, FungJ, ChatziveroglouI, ChouP-W, ChinnI, YanW, Gitelson-KahnA, JoannopoulosJ, FinkY. Digital electronics in fibres enable fabric-based machine-learning inference. Nat Commun, 2021, 123317.

[11] YeL, LiaoM, ZhangK, ZhengM, JiangY, ChengX, WangC, XuQ, TangC, LiP, WenY, XuY, SunX, ChenP, SunH, GaoY, ZhangY, WangB, LuJ, ZhouH, WangY, XiaY, XuX, PengH. A rechargeable calcium–oxygen battery that operates at room temperature. Nature, 2024, 626313.

[12] ZengW, ShuL, LiQ, ChenS, WangF, TaoX-M. Fiber-based wearable electronics: a review of materials, fabrication, devices, and applications. Adv Mater, 2014, 265310.

[13] ShiX, ZuoY, ZhaiP, ShenJ, YangY, GaoZ, LiaoM, WuJ, WangJ, XuX, TongQ, ZhangB, WangB, SunX, ZhangL, PeiQ, JinD, ChenP, PengH. Large-area display textiles integrated with functional systems. Nature, 2021, 591240.

[14] GuptaN, CheungH, PayraS, LokeG, LiJ, ZhaoY, BalachanderL, SonE, LiV, KravitzS, LohawalaS, JoannopoulosJ, FinkY. A single-fibre computer enables textile networks and distributed inference. Nature, 2025, 63979.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(52402230)

Chenguang Program of Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(23CGA41)

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2232024D-02)

Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai(24ZR1402300)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Donghua University, Shanghai, China