A NEW study shows an innovative textile helps AI recognize voice commands by amplifying the electrostatic charges generated during speech. Published in Science Advances, the breakthrough promises to turn garments into intuitive, always-accessible AI assistants.

Researchers from Soochow University designed a triboelectric acoustic textile, dubbed A-Textile. Unlike conventional rigid and bulky acoustic devices, the fabric is soft, flexible and washable. It can harness the natural electrostatic charges generated on clothing when a person speaks. The researchers enhanced this effect by creating a multi-layered structure featuring a composite coating of 3D tin-sulfide nanoflowers embedded in silicone rubber, along with graphite-like carbonized textile.

The washable and lightweight AI-textile achieved a voice recognition accuracy of up to 97.5%. The researchers used it to wirelessly control smart home appliances, such as turning on and off an air conditioner and a lamp through simple voice commands.

It also accessed cloud-based services, using voice commands to operate smartphone applications like Google Maps, and engage with ChatGPT by asking for recipes and a travel itinerary. (Xinhua)