IARPA’s [Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity] SMART ePANTS initiative aims to create apparel equipped with built-in audio, video, and geolocation sensor technology, while offering the flexibility, durability, washability, and comfort of traditional textiles. By seamlessly integrating these devices into clothing, members of the Intelligence Community can effortlessly capture environmental data without the inconvenience of cumbersome, conspicuous gadgets. This advancement enables personnel to maintain optimal mobility, ultimately enhancing their ability to react swiftly in demanding situations. The initiative brings together a wide range of high level specialties, with the brightest minds in science, technology, functional fibers, and soft goods design collaborating to bring the vision to life.

SMART ePANTS: Active Smart Textiles
What we did
- User Case Studies + Garment Interaction
- Garment Concept Development
- Consultation on Textile Development
- Technical Design Drawing
Clients / Collaborators


Project Description
The aim of the SMART ePANTS program is to build cutting edge sensor systems
that can be integrated into comfortable, flexible textiles. There are a number of highly specialized teams competing to achieve this lofty goal. These teams are at the forefront of the emerging field of Active Smart Textiles, textiles with the ability to adapt and change based on their environment as well as the needs and inputs of users. The objective is to create primary clothing (e.g. shirts, pants, socks, etc.) featuring these active smart textiles in a seamless fashion. The program research has three core tracks: audio recording, video and photography capture, and indoor geolocation. The key to achieving this goal is reflected in the project name: Powerfully Smart Threads® (contract number N6600123C4511). These are advanced flexible fibers that embed the technology being developed for the project. Spearheaded by Areté, the development team consists of subject matter experts from the fields of textiles, garments, electronics, sensors, optics, and batteries.


Use Cases
As the resident soft goods design and garment experts, Interwoven Design began with an analysis of several potential use cases for the technology, isolating key garment silhouettes that would be ideal candidates for AST integration within those use cases. Interwoven recommended a curated selection of garments to prioritize in the prototyping process, consulting on the textiles that would best allow seamless integration with the technology while also being suitable for the use case garments.


Development
Due to the varying dimensions of the audio and video/photography technology embedded, a thermally drawn fiber developed at AFFOA and MIT Lincoln Lab is being applied during textile production. Interwoven proposed specific swatch specifications for the project prototyping and sourced the recommended textiles. Interwoven identified
specific sections on the target garments as ideal for technology placement, considering the intersection of material opportunities and user needs. Reinforced sections of the garment, including the collar on a polo shirt and the pocket on a dress shirt, were confirmed as ideal locations for the integration of the necessary technology.
Interwoven was integral to helping the wider team understand the key challenges of the garment integration, providing technical drawings, illustrations, and diagrams to capture the synthesis of the technology and the textile at the level of the weave.

