PASTA · Integrating Platform for Advanced Smart Textile Applications

The PASTA project will combine electronic packaging research and textile research to realize an innovative approach of smart textile. By introducing new concepts for electronic packaging and module interconnect, a seamless, more comfortable and more robust integration of electronics in textile will be possible. The main technological developments concentrate on a new concept for bare die integration into a yarn (by means of micromachining), a new interconnect technology based on mechanical crimping and the development of a stretchable interposer serving as a stress relief interface between the rigid component and the elastic fabric. Integration into the yarn will be used for small components and modules (< 1 mm), so that they can be fully integrated and encapsulated and further used in weaving. Larger modules for crimp contacts and with stretchable interposers are mounted on top of fabric substrates. Mechanical simulations will support these technological developments. A dedicated work package on fabric technologies will focus on fabric modifications for accommodating the new electronic packages : conductive yarns and textile-based sensors will be integrated into the basic fabric. And finally, dedicated equipment and manufacturing platforms will be developed for smart textile fabrication with the PASTA technologies. The technologies will be assessed in a functional evaluation and reliability testing program.The proposed solutions for integration of electronics in textile cover a whole range of components, from ultra small LEDs to complex multichip modules. A system design task will tackle the power distribution and system partitioning aspects. This assures that a complete solution is available for integration of a distributed sensor/actuator system in fabric. The concept for the new electronics integration technology will be shown in 4 different demonstrators in the area of technical textiles, sports and leisure wear, home textiles and bed linen.