News in brief: The US government is creating high-tech ‘spy underwear’

It’s a gadget to make 007 proud…and Q blush

High-tech spy underwear that captures audio, video and geolocation could soon be worn by secret agents following a “technological milestone” in the field of electronic textiles.

The US government reportedly invested more than $22million on its ‘SMART ePANTS’ program to transform shirts, trousers, socks and pants into state-of-the-art surveillance tools.

Officials wanted to produce clothing fitted with tiny cameras, sensors, and microphones to help spies gather intelligence and to assist police and other law enforcement personnel in their duties.

The goal was to create computerised garments that would look and feel like everyday clothes – a feat no public or private group has achieved before.

But the project took an “important step” forward yesterday after engineers attached tiny circuit boards called ‘chiplets’ to embroidered conductive yarns for the first time.

Using a process called ‘direct die attach’, experts fastened the chiplets to a series of fine metal strands capable of carrying electronic current. The space between yarns was the width of a human hair.

The feat, described as a world first, marks what US contractors Nautilus Defence say could lead to the scalable manufacture of active smart textiles (ASTs) – clothes that “look and feel like the fabrics people wear every day”.

ASTs are likely to be used by the Intelligence Community (IC), Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security.

The technology will enable those agencies to capture hands-free recordings without having to wear or carry bulkier surveillance equipment.

Nautilus Defence is one of several firms to have partnered with the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), an arm of the Office of the Director of National Defense.

Other entities involved in the project include GE Aerospace, TRX Systems, Centeye, Anthro Energy , Arachne Labs, The University of Virginia, and The University of Michigan.

Jim Owens, the CEO of Nautilus Defense, said: “Textiles are simultaneously one of the most ubiquitous, impactful, and unassuming technologies developed in human history.

“With support from IARPA and collaborations with private industry and higher education, Nautilus is advancing the state of the art in textile-integrated sensor systems.

“We are proud to be a pioneer in the rapidly evolving advanced textile industry. The technological advancements we are making at Nautilus will strengthen our national security, create new economic opportunities in our region, and accelerate strategic research initiatives across a range of industries.”

Watch the SMART ePANTS Interview with IARPA PM Dawson Cagle

Main image: UVA-developed chiplet attached to 2D textile. © Nautilus Defense