Smart swatches

MIT researchers are developing fabric swatches outfitted with sensors, microprocessors, and conductive velcro. The "electronic patches" can be quickly slapped together to provide different functionality in various form factors. From New Scientist:

To make a bag that prevents people forgetting things, (the inventors) have equipped a module with a radio antenna and receiver. The unit is programmed to listen for signals from radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on objects like cellphones, keys and wallets.

A sensor module in the bag’s handle detects when the bag has been picked up, indicating that the owner might be leaving. This triggers the reader to check through the objects the computer module has been programmed to look for. If it does not detect a required item, it uses a voice synthesiser module in another patch to warn: “Cellphone, yes! Wallet, yes! Keys, no!”

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