NETs: Networked Stretchable and Scalable Sensing System for Multimodal Wearables and Interactive Surfaces

We introduce NETs, a distributed architecture for stretchable and scalable sensing systems across wearables and interactive surfaces. NETs combines miniaturized sensor nodes with stretchable interconnects that can be laminated or embedded onto textiles and soft substrates to form modular and deformable mesh networks. The platform supports multiple sensing modalities, including inertial, temperature, humidity, light, proximity, tactile, and ambient pressure, along with on-node display capabilities. Its modular, reconfigurable design enables plug-and-play operation across a wide range of form factors. Unlike prior centralized or rigid sensor arrays, NETs distributes sensing and processing across nodes, improving fault tolerance and robustness under deformation and dynamic applications. A self-organizing network layer automates node addressing and topology mapping while streamlining data transfer, significantly reducing system setup complexity. We detail the hardware architecture, interconnect and fabrication strategies, functional modules, design space, and demonstrate applications spanning wearable computing, smart objects, and large-area interactive environments, positioning NETs as a scalable foundation for computational material and distributed systems.