NUS researchers have woven the world’s first washable touchscreen directly into a garment sleeve. The breakthrough shows how a single piece of clothing can become a durable, interactive digital device.

The team, led by Assistant Professor Tural Khudiyev, built special electronic fibers about one millimetre thick, each containing 96 tiny lights. They wove 54 of these fibers into a sleeve, creating a 17 × 11 cm touchscreen.

The prototype can display photos, play videos, run a calculator, act as a compass, respond to voice commands and receive images via Bluetooth. It also supports multiple simultaneous touches, letting users interact with their fingers.

Durability tests showed the screen stayed almost unchanged after 50 machine washes and 1,000 bends, with brightness and touch sensitivity intact. The fabric’s breathability was comparable to cotton, polyester and denim. Built‑in sensors measure body temperature, detect movement and automatically adjust screen brightness.

Researchers envision the technology enabling continuous health monitoring and direct interaction with physiological data through clothing, especially when combined with artificial intelligence. This could turn everyday garments into useful health‑tech wearables.