According to foreign media reports, although we have heard of "smart" fabrics that can be used to display data in clothing, most clothing is unlikely to be made of this high-tech material. However, the PocketView system displays through existing "dumb" textiles. Currently, the University of Waterloo in Canada is developing the PocketView system, which is in the form of a flat device with a high-intensity LED on the front surface, which can be placed in the pocket of the wearer’s clothes.
This display technology can be built directly into existing devices, such as fitness trackers, or it can be used as an easy-to-see Bluetooth-connected secondary display for an inaccessible tool, such as a smartphone. The idea is that when the wearer needs to be notified such as receiving an email or text message, PocketView will display the appropriate alarm in the form of a low-resolution dot matrix symbol and shine through their clothes. Once confirmed, these notifications can be cancelled by double-clicking the display on the fabric.
In addition, with a single tap on the device, users can cycle through the display screens that provide data, such as time of day, weather conditions, fitness statistics (during exercise), or navigational left/right arrows to indicate the direction of walking. In the tests carried out so far, PocketView has been able to illuminate its display in a variety of clothing and pocket styles through fabrics including thick cotton and polyester.
"These are displays that display the smallest information," said PhD student Antony Albert Raj Irudayaraj. “If you’re walking or biking, for example, displaying basic navigation instructions, that’s fine. Or you’ve received a message and don’t want to divert your attention from what you’re doing. You can peek at the display Screen and see the notification."
