In 2020 phones will be printed directly on to wrists, or other parts of the body, part of what’s known as a “pervasive ambient world” where “chips are everywhere” says Ian Pearson, BT’s (British Telecom’s) resident futurologist.

Researchers have developed computers and sensors worn in clothing. MP3 jackets, based on the idea that electrically conductive fabric can connect to keyboards sewn into sleeves, have already appeared in stores.

These “smart fabrics” have come about through advances in nano- and micro-engineering — where materials can be “tuned” to display unusual properties that can be exploited to build faster, lighter, stronger and more efficient devices and systems.

The textile and clothing industry has been one of the first to exploit nanotechnology in straightforward ways. Many developments are appearing in real products in the fields of medicine, defense, healthcare, sports, and communications.

However, this future of highly personal devices, where technology is worn, or even fuses with the body itself, raises ethical questions. For example, if our clothing, skin, and “personal body networks” do the talking and the monitoring, everywhere we go, we have to think about what that means for our concept of privacy.