Photo: Philips brightens up textile tech

At this week's IFA trade show in Berlin, Philips Research will showcase a jacket integrated with Lumalive, a textile that lets fabrics display changing colors and dynamic graphics.

Lumalive textiles are filled with colored LEDs that, according to Philips, are undetectable to the touch and have electronic components that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. When lit up, however, the fabric can display patterns, text or even animation, depending on how it's wired. The company says that Lumalive is designed for convenience: The batteries and control unit can be removed when a garment needs to be washed, and reconnected afterwards.