3In-TEX

Introduction 

3in-TEX develops a smart textile for integration into furniture such as sofas and armchairs with the aim of providing an innovative solution to make the use of domestic devices easier for elderly people. An important feature addressed by the project is the comfort of the product for users and its adaptability to their houses and devices.

The partnership comprises Tessitura Pertile and the Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials (CeNTI). Tessitura Pertile is a second-generation, family-owned SME, founded in 1954. The company has acquired specific skills in the production of dobby and jacquard fabrics of all types, including very high thread density. Its production facilities have been updated with highly innovative, state-of-the-art machinery over time. In recent years, the company has introduced several machines with ‘Industry 4.0’ automation. Tessitura Pertile has studied the entire range of textile structures and the use of all of the main types of yarn, both continuous and discontinuous. Its customers include the main high-end home textile companies  in the European markets (particularly France, Switzerland, Germany and the UK), as well as in the American, Canadian and Far-Eastern (especially Chinese) markets.

CeNTI is a private, non-profit research institute based in Portugal, equipped with cutting-edge technology and conducting world-class R&D. Following a business-to-business approach, it provides services including applied R&D, engineering and upscaling of production of innovative, functional and smart materials and devices. CeNTI’s mission is to guide research and technological development through industry-driven solutions, with the aim of contributing to the evolution of the industry through the development of micro and nanotechnologies,  functional and smart materials, and by means of knowledge creation and diffusion, promotion of technology integration and development of technological intervention strategies.

Objectives

The main objectives of 3in-TEX are to develop:

• a smart textile for integration into different types of furniture (e.g. armchairs) to improve the well-being of elderly people   and people recovering from strokes by providing an easy way of using different domestic devices without remote controls;
• the necessary energy supply and control systems;
• a suitable communication module for interaction with different devices.

Outcome of ELIIT project support

Impact (to date)

The support action has been very useful for the project and more effective than that provided for another research project that we implemented. We appreciate this opportunity as it will help us go further in our research and learn more, thereby driving our actions forward and   helping us to reach the project goals. At this stage, there has been no impact on the company’s market position and turnover.

Partners

SME: Tessitura Pertile

Country: Italy
Year of creation: 1954
More information: company website, LinkedIn

Technical provider: CeNTI – Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials

Country: Portugal
Year of creation: 2006
More information: company website, LinkedIn