Stretchable electric cable acts like skin

Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei, has created a flexible electronic cable called Roboden that stretches by a factor of 1.5, much like the human skin. Many electronic yarns and threads change resistance when pulled or stretched, which can reduce the power in a circuit unwillingly or by design. This is the basis of woven and knitted stretch sensors that are currently being explored.

But rather than changing resistence when stretched, the Roboden can be stretched up to a factor of 1.5 without changing resistance. They mention applications in the robotics field, but this could be very useful in wearable technology solutions where there is a need to integrate circuitry throughout the garment that can carry the same power and current when stretched.

Right now, the cable looks rather bulky to be used practically in wearables. I would love to see a smaller next version. Keep up the great work Asahi Kasei!