Now, a fabric that works like a touch screen!

London, Jan 10 (ANI): A new, touch-sensitive fabric could enable you to lower the volume of your car stereo by swiping the driver's seat, or dim the lights of your room by casually rubbing the armrest of your sofa.

Not only that, the fabric will be the kind that is easy to clean, so that it is suitable for everyday use.

"In essence we are trying to reproduce the smartphone experience in textile form," New Scientist quoted researcher Maksim Skorobogatiy of the Polytechnic School in Montreal, Canada, as saying.

"We are looking for applications where we can weave in sleek, non-invasive control, avoiding blocks of push buttons," he said.

His team has created a soft polymer-based fibre that has electrical properties, which can change depending on where it is touched. The fibre can then be weaved into a fabric.

Unlike most other smart fabrics, this one can be easily cleaned, making it ideal for use in everyday objects.

This magical fabric could soon reach consumers, as BMW is already planning to use it in future models.

One of the displays in a concept car by the company in the Geneva Motor show in 2011 was operated by a touch sensitive surface, which controlled heating and music through the driver's gestures.

"Touch-sensitive surfaces are a very interesting technology for controlling operations in a car," said BMW spokeswoman Melina Aulinger. (ANI)