Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute have developed a new kind of intrusion detection system based on a woven fabric, named Smart Fabric. The system can trigger alarms if penetrated by intruders, and can identify the exact location of the break-in. The system is cheaper and can be installed throughout a facility. Thieves definitely won’t appreciate it.

Smart Fabric is basically an intrusion detection system. It is developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin in collaboration with the Technische Universität Berlin and ETTLIN Spinnerei und Weberei Produktions GmbH. Smart Fabric has been designed to incorporate conductive threads. The conductive threads are hooked up to a micro-controller which is capable of emitting warning signals. Whenever any intruder penetrates the fabric it triggers an alarm. As soon as the alarm activates, the security teams can track the exact location of the break-in.

IZM project manager Erik Simon said, “The fabric could be used to implement an entirely novel, invisible security system for buildings. The electric current flowing through the fabric is so weak that it presents no danger to humans or animals.” He also said that this fabric is “simple and reliable”.

In order to determine the fabric’s reliability and durability, IZM laboratories ran enough tests. Nothing happened to this fabric when it was tumbled in a washing machine at 40 degrees Celsius, exposed to approximate 85 percent humidity and at 85 degrees Celsius temperature for 1,000 hours. The fabric remain unhampered when it was also placed in a furnace in which it had gone through 1,000 temperature cycles ranging from minus 40 degree (-40°C) to plus 85 degrees Celsius (85°C).

If the system receives widespread adoption, the thieves are going to have a tough time.

Source : Fraunhofer Institute