An ever increasing number of publications, reviews, and books are written about polymer optical fibers (POFs). Articles of POFs for a wide range of applications especially for networks in buildings, automobiles, railways, aviation, or in industrial plants are numerous, while publications where POFs are used in textiles are rather rare. In this review, we want to present the different techniques to produce textile-based POFs and the possibilities and applications offered by these textiles. They have been produced for a wide range of implementations in illumination and sensing. Special attention will be given to the features of differences in textile structures resulting in flexible and lightweight structures. Recent applications in the field of optical textiles given in this report demonstrate practicability and usefulness for flexible 2D illumination areas. This article provides an overview of the current polymeric optical fiber fabrics and textile constructions for optical textiles and the main applications where these innovative textiles are of great benefit.
Abouraddy, A.F., Bayindir, M., Benoit, G., Hart, S.D., Kuriki, K., Orf, N., Shapira, O., Sorin, F., Temelkuran, B. and Fink, Y.2007. ‘‘Towards Multimaterial Multifunctional Fibres That See, Hear, Sense Communicate,’’ Nature Materials , 6:336-347.
2.
AG, E.I.2005/2006. Eybl International AG Halbjahresbericht 2005/06.
3.
Anderson, K.M.2005. ‘‘Machine Embroidery: Tools, Techniques, and Technologies,’’AATCC Review, 5:27-30.
4.
Arrue, J., Zubia, J., Fuster, G. and Kalymnios, D.1998. ‘‘Light Power Behaviour when Bending Plastic Optical Fibres,’’ IEE Proceedings-Optoelectronics , 145:313-318.
5.
Bartlett, R.J., Philip-Chandy, R., Eldridge, P., Merchant, D.F., Morgan, R. and Scully, P.J.2000. ‘‘Plastic Optical Fibre Sensors and Devices,’’Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control , 22:431-457.
6.
Baur, R., Huber, H.-P. and Zeeb, E.2007. Optical Seat Occupation Sensor Network, E. P. EP, DaimlerChrysler AG, Germany, (Mercedesstrasse 137, 70327 Stuttgart, DE).
7.
Boczkowska, A. and Leonowicz, M.2006. ‘‘Intelligent Materials for Intelligent Textiles ,’’ Fibres & Textiles in Eastern Europe, 14:13-17.
8.
Brochier, C. and Lysenko, A.A.2008. ‘‘Optical Fiber Fabrics, ’’ Fibre Chemistry, 40:303-307.
9.
Bulat, M. and Drechsler, K.2008. ‘‘Textile Technology as an Innovative Manufacturing Method for High-Performance Fibre Composite Structures,’’ In: 4th International Textile Clothing and Design Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, pp. 58-62.
10.
Clayton, R.2006. ‘‘Shining Stars,’’Time Magazine, USA.
11.
Daniel, M.1980. ‘‘Light Emitting Fabric,’’ U.S. Patent, Maurice Daniel, (550 Jaycox Rd, Avon Lake, Ohio 44012).
12.
Daum, W., Krauser, J., Zamzow, P.E. and Ziemann, O.2002. POF-Polymer Optical Fibers for Data Communication , Springer, Berlin.
13.
Deflin, E., Mourot, E. and Remy, M.2004. Flexible Display, World Intellectual Property Organization, France Telecom, France.
14.
De Jonckheere, J., Jeanne, A., Grillet, A., Weber, S., Chaud, P., Logier, R. and Weber, J.L.2007. ‘‘OFSETH: Optical Fibre Embedded Into Technical Textile for Healthcare, an Efficient Way to Monitor Patient under Magnetic Resonance Imaging,’’29th Annual International Conference of the IEEE-Engineering-in-Medicine-and-Biology-Society , Lyon, France, IEEE.
15.
Derick, B.N. and Synder, J.S.1967. Luminous Textile Products, Du Pont, U. S. P. Office, USA.
16.
De Rossi, D.2007. ‘‘A Logical Step’’, Nature Materials, 6:328-329.
17.
Dhawan, A., Ghosh, T.K. and Seyam, A.2005. ‘‘Fiber-based Electrical and Optical Devices and Systems,’’ Textile Progress, 36:1-84.
18.
Diamond, D., Coyle, S., Scarmagnani, S., Hayes, J.2008. ‘‘Wireless Sensor Networks and Chemo-/biosensing ,’’ Chemical Reviews, 108:652-679.
19.
Dunne, L.E., Walsh, P., Smyth, B. and Caulfield, B.2006. ‘‘Design and Evaluation of a Wearable Optical Sensor for Monitoring Seated Spinal Posture,’’10th International Symposium on Wearable Computers, IEEE Computer Soc, Montreux, Switzerland.
20.
El-Sherif, M.A., Yuan, J.M. and MacDiarmid, A.2000. ‘‘Fiber Optic Sensors and Smart Fabrics , ’’ Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 11:407-414.
21.
Gauvreau, B., Guo, N., Schicker, K., Stoeffler, K., Boismenu, F., Ajji, A., Wingfield, R., Dubois, C. and Skorobogatiy, M.2008. ‘‘Color-changing and Color-tunable Photonic Bandgap Fiber Textiles,’’ Optics Express , 16:15677-15693.
22.
Gloge, D.1972. ‘‘Bending Loss in Multimode Fibers with Graded and Ungraded Core Index,’’ Applied Optics, 11:2506-2513.
23.
Gopalsamy, C., Park, S., Rajamanickam, R. and Jayaraman, S.1999. ‘‘The Wearable MotherboardTM: The First Generation of Adaptive and Responsive Textile Structures (ARTS) for Medical Applications ,’’ Virtual Reality, 4:152-168.
24.
Graham-Rowe, D.2007. ‘‘Photonic Fabrics Take Shape, ’’ Nature Photonics, 1:6-7.
25.
Grillet, A., Kinet, D., Witt, J., Schukar, M., Krebber, K., Pirotte, F. and Depre, A.2007. ‘‘Optical Fibre Sensors Embedded Into Medical Textiles for Monitoring of Respiratory Movements in MRI Environment - Art. no. 66191R,’’ In: 3rd European Workshop on Optical Fibre Sensors, Naples, Italy.
26.
Grillet, A., Kinet, D., Witt, J., Schukar, M., Krebber, K., Pirotte, F. and Depre, A.2008. ‘‘Optical Fiber Sensors Embedded Into Medical Textiles for Healthcare Monitoring,’’ IEEE Sensors Journal, 8:1215-1222.
27.
Harlin, A., Mailis, M. and Vuorivirta, A.2003. ‘‘Development of Polymeric Optical Fibre Fabrics as Illumination Elements andTextile Displays,’’ AUTEX Research Journal, 3:1-8.
28.
Kaschke, K.D.1996. Optical Fiber Light Emitting Apparatus, Motorola, Inc, U. S. P. Office, USA.
29.
Keyes, D.L., Lamonte, R.R., McNally, D. and Bitritto, M.2001. ‘‘Polymers for Photonics, ’’ Photonics Spectra, 35:131-134.
30.
Khan, T., Unternährer, M., Buchholz, J., Kaser, B., Selm, B., Rothmaier, R. and Walt, H.2006. ‘‘Performance of a Contact Textile-based Light Diffuser for Photodynamic Therapy,’’ Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy, 3:51-60.
31.
Kim, Y.K. and Lewis, A.F.2003. ‘‘Concepts for Energy-interactive Textiles ,’’ MRS Bulletin, 28:592-596.
32.
Kinoshita, S. and Yoshioka, S.2005. ‘‘Structural Colors in Nature: The Role of Regularity and Irregularity in the Structure,’’ Chemphyschem, 6:1442-1459.
Krebber, K., Lenke, P., Liehr, S., Witt, J. and Schukar, M.2008a. ‘‘Smart Technical Textiles with Integrated POF Sensors - Art. no. 69330V,’’ In: Ecke, W., Peters, K.J. and Meyendorf, N.G. (eds), Smart Sensor Phenomena, Technology, Networks, and Systems 2008, Vol. 6933, pp. V9330-V9330, SPIE-Int Soc Optical Engineering, Bellingham.
35.
Krebber, K., Lenke, P., Liehr, S., Witt, J. and Schukar, M.2008b. ‘‘Smart Technical Textiles with Integrated POF Sensors - Art. No. 69330V,’’Conference on Smart Sensor, Phenomena, Technology, Networks, and Systems, San Diego, CA.
Liehr, S., Lenke, P., Wendt, M., Krebber, K., Seeger, M., Thiele, E., Metschies, H., Gebreselassie, B. and Munich, J.C.2009. ‘‘Polymer Optical Fiber Sensors for Distributed Strain Measurement and Application in Structural Health Monitoring,’’IEEE Sensors Journal, 9:1330-1338.
38.
Lu, C.L. and Yang, B. 2009. ‘‘High Refractive IndexOrganic-Inorganic Nanocomposites: Design , ’’ Journal of Materials Chemistry, 19:2884-2901.
39.
Marcuse, D.1976. ‘‘Curvature Loss Formula for Optical Fibers ,’’ Journal of the Optical Society of America , 66:216-220.
40.
Masuda, A., Murakami, T., Honda, K. and Yamaguchi, S.2006. ‘‘Optical Properties of Woven Fabrics by Plastic Optical Fiber,’’ Journal of Textile Engineering , 52:93-97.
41.
Mizeret, J.C. and van den Bergh, H.E.1996. ‘‘Cylindrical Fiberoptic Light Diffuser for Medical Applications,’’Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 19:159-167.
42.
Murrer, L.H.P., Marijnissen, J.P.A. and Star, W.M.1996. ‘‘Light Distribution by Linear Diffusing Sources for Photodynamic Therapy,’’ Physics in Medicine and Biology, 41:951-961.
43.
Nafarrate, A.B. and Rawso, E.G.1991. Fiber Optical Monitor for Detecting Motion Based on Changes in Speckle Patterns, Alamed Corporation, US Patent, USA.
44.
Neyer, A. ( 1999). POF for Optical Interconnects. Polymeroptische Fasern,: Herstellung und. Anwendung. A. D. Schlachetzki, Klaus. Bremerhaven, Wirtschaftsverlag N. W. Verlag für neue Wissenschaft.
45.
Orth, M.2002. ‘‘Defining Flexibility and Sewability in Conductuve Yarns,’’ In: Symposium on Electronics on Unconventilnal Substrates-Electrotextiles and Giant-Area Flexible Circuits held at the 2002 MRS Fall Meeting, Materials Research Society, Boston, pp. 37-48.
46.
Pachomov, P.M., Zubkov, A.N. and Chiznjak, S.D.2000. ‘‘Plastic Filament as Optical Fiber , ’’ Chimiceskie Volokna, 1:46-50.
47.
Parker, J.R. and Hopkins, T.P.2000. Light Distribution System Including an Area Light Emitting Portion Contained in a Flexible Holder, I. S. United States , Lumitex, OH.
48.
Paul, P.G.1997. Visual Warning Device, G. Patent, UK, 2305848.
49.
Ritter, A.2006. ‘‘Smart Materials in Architektur,’’ Innenarchitektur und Design, Birkhäuser Verlag AG , Basel.
50.
Rothmaier, M., Luong, M.P. and Clemens, F.2008a. ‘‘Textile Pressure Sensor Made of Flexible Plastic Optical Fibers,’’ Sensors, 8:4318-4329.
51.
Rothmaier, M. and Selm, B.2005. ‘‘Leuchttextilien in der Photodynamischen Krebstherapie,’’Bioworld2006 , July.
52.
Rothmaier, M., Selm, B., Spichtig, S., Haensse, D. and Wolf, M.2008b. ‘‘Photonic Textiles for Pulse Oximetry , ’’ Optics Express, 16:12973-12986.
53.
Selm, B. and Camenzind, M.2005. ‘‘Flexible Textile Light Diffuser for Photodynamic Therapy,’’ In: SPIE Photonics West 2005, San Jose, CA.
54.
Selm, B., Rothmaier, M., Camenzind, M., Khan, T. and Walt, H.2007. ‘‘Novel Flexible Light Diffuser and Irradiation Properties for Photodynamic Therapy,’’ Journal of Biomedical Optics, 12:1-7.
55.
Tang, S.L.P. and Stylios, G.K.2006, ‘‘An Overview of Smart Technologies for Clothing Design and Engineering,’’ International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 18:108-128.
56.
Tanio, N. and Koike, E.2000. ‘‘What is the Most Transparent Polymer ? ’’ Polymer Journal, 32:43-50.
57.
Tao, X.2005. Wearable Electronics and Photonics, Boca Raton, CRC Press.
Thiele, E. and Arnold, R.2003. ‘‘Gewirkte Lichtnetze - Ein Leuchtendes Beispiel Textiler Innovation,’’ Kettenwirk-Praxis , 37:24-26.
60.
Wilson, J.D.2009. ‘‘Design of a Light Stimulator for Fetal and Neonatal Magnetoencephalography,’’Physiological Measurement, 30:1-10.
61.
Witt, J., Schukar, M. and Krebber, K.2008. ‘‘Medicinal Textiles with Integrated Polymer-Optical Fibers for Respiration Monitoring,’’ Tm-Technisches Messen, 75:670-677.
62.
Zieba, J., Frydrysiak, M. and Gniotek, K.2007. ‘‘Textronics System for Breathing Measurement,’’ In: 5th Central European Conference on Fibre-Grade Polymers, Chemical Fibres and Special Textiles, Inst Chemical Fibres, Warsaw, Poland.
63.
Zubia, J. and Arrue, J.2001. ‘‘Plastic Optical Fibers: An Introduction to Their Technological Processes and Applications,’’ Optical Fiber Technology, 7:101-140.
