Patent ID: 7348645

Claim:
A textile comprising: a semiconductor-based flexible skin including: a metal layer having a first metal side and a second metal side; an insulating layer having a first insulating side and a second insulating side, the insulating layer being disposed over at least a portion of the metal layer such that the first metal side is adjacent to the first insulating side; a first flexible polymer layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal layer on the second metal side; and a plurality of semiconductor islands disposed over one or more regions of the insulating layer such that a first side of at least some of the one or more semiconductor islands is adjacent to the second insulating side, wherein the flexible skin defines a plurality of openings at positions that are different than positions where the plurality of semiconductor islands are located, the plurality of openings allowing the flexible skin to be woven into a textile; and a textile layer attached to the semiconductor-based flexible skin via the plurality of openings.