The laptop is moving ever nearer to the lap ? into it, actually,  now that a keyboard made out of a smart fabric could be sewn into your trousers or skirt. UK company Electrotextiles uses its Elektex material, which consists of conductive fibres woven into nylon, to create a keyboard that?s washable, ironable and shockproof. At the center of the Elektex technology are minute conductive fibres, which are woven or knitted together with traditional fibres to produce a range of new  touch and pressure sensitive fabrics which are indistinguishable from normal fabric. Microelectronics are linked with the fabric to provide an array of digital functions ranging from mouse input, activating sound stores and voice synthesising, and remote control. The company producing the material also suggests applications for warning signals, guiding and controlling computer games and telephones built into clothing. ?ElectroTextiles’ smart fabrics eliminate the traditional barriers to building an interface to microchip technology,? the company says. ?The ability to dispense with the need for a fixed casing, a rigid mounting and inflexible substrates opens up radically new possibilities in flexible, user-friendly interfacing.Whilst Electrotextiles is planning a necktie that functions as a mouse, we here at Ninfo are just well excited about trouser-based computing. Ya see, it?ll give us an excuse for having our hands in our pockets all day? Check out more sartorial systems at: www.electrotextiles.com