Microsoft has developed a smart fabric that recognizes objects and touch

Microsoft filed a new patent application with the telling name "Smart fabric that recognizes objects and touch input." The text describes its application to the inside of pockets. Layers of sensors and data processing circuits are embedded in the fabric, which can receive, process and transmit data from the fabric to a smartphone or other equipment.

Also, a computing system was developed for this fabric, containing a machine learning module. It receives and processes incoming data and builds predictive models. All this is necessary to recognize objects that are in contact with smart fabric, or user gestures.

Such a system will be able to recognize the items that the user usually puts in this pocket - and most importantly, their absence too. For example, your jeans can send a reminder to your smartphone if they don't find a subway pass card or office keys.

Regarding gesture recognition, the patent describes that rubbing a smartphone against a pocket can trigger a command via NFC. Microsoft believes this could find applications in games and consumer products.

It is worth noting that this is not the first development of Microsoft in the field of smart fabrics. The company has been doing this since the 2010s, and has already filed several patent applications, including for yarn with sensors for smart shirts and gloves.

The new patent is probably the development of the Capacitivo project. Introduced in 2020, this is a smart tablecloth capable of identifying food on the table and even liquid in glasses.

Note that so far there is no talk of using this smart fabric in commercial products. Would you like jeans with extra features?