A novel fabrication process for capacitive cantilever structures for smart fabric applications

This paper reports, for the first time, capacitive freestanding cantilever beams fabricated by screen printing sacrificial and structural materials onto a fabric/textile. Unlike traditional weaving process, the device will be screen printed layer by layer with desired pattern onto the fabric substrate. Free standing structures will be fabricated directly onto fabrics rather than other methods such as bonding or embedding. In addition, a low temperature removable sacrificial material capable for the removal conditions on fabrics will also be reported.