#Research & Development

2025-11-06

Soft interfaces: Textile-integrated light switches, made possible by printable Liquid Metal Ink

A look at the demonstrator © WINT Design Lab / Michelle Mantel

A gentle tap on the knitted lampshade is enough to switch on the light. The lamp developed by Fraunhofer IZM in cooperation with WINT Design Lab works with a revolutionary conductive ink. Visitors can find out more and try the lamp themselves at the Berlin Science Week on November 1st and 2nd.

Lukas Werft and Christian Dils of the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM and their counterparts, Robin Hoske and Felix Rasehorn of WINT Design Lab, are coming to the Berlin Science Week to reveal their »Soft Interfaces« project to the waiting public. The aim of this innovative research is to develop textiles that can respond to touch and interact intelligently with their environment. The project’s magic lies in the newly developed and fully printable Liquid Metal Ink (LMI) made with Galinstan. The electrically conductive ink is covered in highly elastic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and can be laminated right into knitted textiles to create surfaces that are not just functionally usable, but also flexible, stretchable, pleasing to touch and pleasing to the eye.

Showcasing the technology with a special lamp

One great example that shows the capabilities of the technology is an interactive, 3D-printed lamp with a special textile lampshade. The clean lines of the 3D-printed lamp are not harmed by any intrusive switches or buttons. Only a subtle difference in the knitted pattern invites users to touch the flat lampshade, intuitively switching the light on or off. LEDs are integrated into the body of the lamp that can be dimmed or change their color in this way.

The lampshade is made from a knitted fabric stretched over a 3D-printed frame. It includes seven LMI sensor units for controlling the light intuitively. With a simple touch, the user can turn the light on or off, dim the light, or change the color temperature. The fabric itself becomes the user interface, opening up a whole new dimension of interactivity.

Innovative technology

All of this is made possible by the newly invented Liquid Metal Ink (LMI), an electrically conductive, but also environmentally friendly ink that works with Galinstan. This alloy of gallium, indium, and tin is mixed with a solution of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), resulting in the viscous LMI that can be printed onto elastic substrates to create structures that work like resistive strain sensors. Gentle pressure is enough, and the resistivity of the material changes, alerting the light controllers to switch on the lamp, dim the light, or change its color.

Interdisciplinary collaboration

The project was born from the close cooperation between design and material science that is supported by the Fraunhofer Network »Science, Art, Design. « Regular workshopsand collaborative work at Fraunhofer IZM and WINT Design Lab brought together technological know-how and product and interaction design insights into a streamlined tactile user experience.

Future opportunities

»Soft Interfaces« shows the great potential of liquid metal conductors for diverse applications in elastic fabrics, from novel control interfaces for smart home textiles, intuitively functional surfaces for vehicles, or wearable sensors to soft robotics. The technology is currently still limited to laboratory or prototype uses, but is very promising for scalable, energy-efficient products.

On November 1^st and 2^nd, 2025 researchers from the Fraunhofer network »Science, Art, Design« will be on site at the Museum of Natural History’s CAMPUS as part of the Berlin Science Week. For more information, visit: https://berlinscienceweek.com/programme/textilien-die-fuhlen-mit-intelligenten-oberflachen-zur-neuartigen-interaktion

Credits:

Technical Management: Fraunhofer IZM (Lukas Werft, Christian Dils, Carlos Wisbar, Raphael Mgeladse)

Design: WINT Design Lab (Felix Rasehorn, Robin Hoske, Julia Huhnholz)

Fabric Development: Case Studies (Laura Krauthausen, Konstantin Laschkow)

Video und Fotografie: Michelle Mantel

Project Funding: Fraunhofer Network »Science, Art, Design (WKD)«

Meadow Grove Research joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

TERIS reaches milestone: Fraunhofer consortium develops new standards for tire analysis

In the “TERIS” project, the Fraunhofer institutes ICT, IGD, and IWM—led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF—have reached a decisive milestone. For the first time, the teams aim to generate, analyse, and predict tire wear in the laboratory in a standardized and practical manner. As part of this milestone, results are now available on reference abrasion, particle analysis, tribological models, AI-based surface analysis, a test bench concept, and methods for accelerated aging and VOC detection. The tire industry, testing services, and environmental agencies will in future benefit from reliable, rapid laboratory procedures for emissions assessment.

Geotextiles made from recycled materials: GREEN leads the way into the industry

For the industry, recycled materials are creating new opportunities in geotextile production. In the GREEN project, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE demonstrates that recycled polypro-pylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and high-density polyeth-ylene (HDPE) can be processed into nonwovens, fibers, and membranes that meet industrial requirements. This creates opportunities for use in existing production lines and new value chains in the geotextile market.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.