(Telecompaper) Google announced a new project to develop 'connected clothes', weaving interactive components into fabric. Named Project Jacquard, the new programme was presented at Google's I/O Developers Conference. Google developed the new conductive yarns with a number of industrial partners. Jacquard yarn structures combine thin, metallic alloys with natural and synthetic yarns like cotton, polyester, or silk, making the yarn strong enough to be woven on any industrial loom. Using conductive yarns, bespoke touch and gesture-sensitive areas can be woven at precise locations, anywhere on the textile. Alternatively, sensor grids can be woven throughout the textile, creating large, interactive surfaces. Google said the connectors and tiny circuits are no larger than the button on a jacket. They can be used to capture touch interactions, and various gestures can be inferred using machine-learning algorithms. The touch and gesture data is wirelessly transmitted to mobile phones or other devices to control a wide range of functions, connecting the user to online services, apps, or phone features. LEDs, haptics and other embedded outputs provide feedback to the user.