A research team led by Tural Khudiyev at the National University of Singapore has built a touchscreen into a garment using electronic fibres. The 2026 prototype combines 54 pixel fibres in a sleeve, allowing the fabric to display images and respond to touch without a rigid screen.

The university reports that light output and touch response remained nearly unchanged after 50 machine washes. The work explores clothing as an interface while remaining a research prototype rather than a consumer product.

NUS released its illustrated explanation on 22 October 2026, following the research publication in Nature on 21 October. Images originate from NUS.

The sleeve combines 54 fibres, each carrying 96 miniature LEDs. The manufacturing process draws together different material layers before selectively exposing the electrical connections and attaching the light-emitting components.

This matters because a garment must bend and survive cleaning while remaining usable. The reported washing tests are a research result, not a guarantee of commercial durability, but they address a practical obstacle to fabric interfaces.

Explore the university research and images · Designboom coverage