Until recently our idea of the shining objects in life was limited to the fluorescent paint which is consecrated green light in the dark due to the saved-up energy on light and goods with the built-in LED illumination which rather began to appear recently on show-windows of shops. One more revolutionary discovery on this subject – the shining fabric as a part of which threads of a photoconductive optical fiber are used was some time ago made. The new technology received the name Luminex and appeared thanks to joint scientific search of the Italian company CAEN and the Swiss textile company Stabio Textil. Originally experiments with optical fiber were made in experimental laboratories of physics of high energiya. The idea to apply optical fiber threads in light industry appeared long ago, but demanded serious completions as the optical fiber in the natural form could not be used in production of fabrics. To bring closer its properties to necessary for the weaver’s industry, it turned out at Italians, and the Swiss textile company Stabio developed the weaving loom for production of fabric with a new optical fiber. The essence of new technology consists that along with others, as a cross thread as a part of fabric photoconductive optical fibers are used. Light sources – light-emitting diodes – are connected to an optical fiber, and it already, being an excellent conductor, distributes light on all surface of fabric. On the basis of the Luminex technology tens of types of fabric, such as organza, jersey, streych, etc. are already developed. Each of these fabrics in itself can be let out in various color options and is illuminated by additional shades yellow, red, green, white or blue, thanks to optical fiber threads. At a stage of development there is a process of reduction of thickness of fiber for the purpose of receiving lighter and soft fabric. As envisioned by creators it will have to be transformed to matter capable to distinguish a beating of human heart, and also change of body temperature and to react to them change of color of fabric. Earlier the optical fiber was widely used according to buildings, and also in the decorative and advertizing purposes. Use of this material in production of fabrics opens an additional range of opportunities for creation of the surprising shining goods. Already today on sale under the name of Lumigram the wide choice of various shining clothes (from wedding dresses and theatrical suits to special clothes of staff of service of rescue), objects of a house decor (flickering curtains, the shining covers and another) and even the real works of painting is presented. As for receiving effect of a luminescence an indispensable condition is existence of accumulators or connection to the electric socket, any subject from fabric with use of an optical fiber is followed by small accumulators weighing no more than 20 grams, capable to work in the autonomous mode till 8 o’clock or the power supply unit. Fibers in operating time practically do not heat up and are not afraid of moisture, and the power of the consumed current in such products is so small that in use they are no more dangerous, than an electronic watch with the battery.
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