MagTex: Machine-Knitted Magnetoactive Textiles for Bidirectional Human-Machine Interface

Bidirectional human–machine interfaces (HMIs) provide both sensing and haptic feedback, enabling responsive and intuitive interactions across a wide range of applications, including assistive technologies, robotics, and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR). In this paper, we present MagTex, a bidirectional HMI platform realized through digitally machine-knitted magnetoactive textiles. MagTex integrates sensing and haptic feedback within a single, wearable interface by embedding soft magnetoactive fibers into machine-knitted electromagnets. MagTex delivers localized vibrotactile feedback through the galvanomagnetic effect and achieves motion sensing via electromagnetic induction. We describe the digital fabrication workflow, material characterization, circuits implementation, and system integration in detail. A user study confirms both the perceptibility of the haptic feedback and the thermal property of the textile system. We demonstrate the capability of MagTex through three application scenarios: a wireless smart sleeve for game control, a tactile Braille display glove, and a closed-loop smart knee brace for real-time running feedback. Overall, MagTex offers a soft, scalable, and compact solution for bidirectional HMIs.