At ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, emtec Electronic GmbH will demonstrate how the tactile feel of a textile can be objectively evaluated and utilized for product development and quality assurance.
Using the self-developed measuring device TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer, the company will showcase how subjective tactile properties can be translated into reproducible measurement data.
James Xiang of Impaq Testing Technology Co., Ltd. (Impaq Tech) will present this revolutionary technology from November 20 to 24 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
Alexander Grüner, Global Business Development Manager at emtec, will also be available at the International Textile Machinery Exhibition for technical discussions on the device’s measurement principles.
TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer Turns Textile Hand Feel Into Measurable Data
Perceiving a textile as soft, smooth or rough has a huge influence on product impression and the eventual purchasing decision. For a long time, these evaluations have often been based on subjective feelings of human touch.
While they are still valuable, they are difficult to standardize or compare between development sites, suppliers and different stages of production. That’s where the TSA comes in: the measuring device can identify specific haptic properties of intermediate and finished textile products and translate them into objective parameters.
These can include surface softness and smoothness as well as flexibility and stretch. Using intricate mathematical models, the measured data is then converted to determine a specific hand feel value.
The device is also able to examine deformation and recovery behaviour and can optionally be expanded to include evaluation of thermo-haptics and thermal insulation.
Objective Measurement with the TSA not only allows for a more systematic assessment of material properties, but also enables these properties to be taken into account in product comparisons, research and development, and process and quality control.
Read more: emtec Showcases Tactile Sensation Analyzer at ITM 2026
Virtual Haptic Library Digitalizes Textile Measurement Data
Digitalization of measurement data is another innovative aspect of the TSA’s approach. Through the cloud-based Virtual Haptic Library the data can be stored, compared and shared with authorized users worldwide in real-time.
This way different materials can easily be catalogued according to their haptic qualities and then compared side by side. For manufacturers and brands, this opens up the possibility of defining requirements for the feel of a product more precisely and communicating them throughout the supply chain.
Deviations can be identified earlier on in the process and development decisions are based on a shared data foundation. This can reduce the need for repeated sampling and make development and coordination processes more efficient.
Read more: Turning textile touch into measurable data – emtec’s TSA live at TITAS 2026 in Taipei
Impaq Tech Supports Objective Haptic Measurement in the Asian Market
The collaboration with Impaq Tech has enabled emtec to further develop activities in objective haptic measurement in the Asian market. The Chinese company contributes their experience in textile evaluation and supports the advertisement of emtec’s technology as well as its application with potential customers.
Additionally, Impaq Tech was involved in developing a national Chinese testing method. “Textile comfort and hand feel are important product qualities that have long been difficult to compare objectively. Using the TSA, we can translate those properties to reliable measuring data. This helps manufacturers, brands and testing laboratories make material decisions based on a common foundation and better coordinate quality requirements across different stages in production”, says James Xiang of Impaq Tech.
Interested trade visitors can speak with James XIANG at ITMA ASIA + CITME about the practical application of the TSA and its potential for textile testing and development processes. Alexander Grüner will be representing emtec at the event and is also available to discuss measurement technology and its applications.
