Fabric-based items with environmental control elements

An environmental control system that controls an environment for a passenger in a vehicle, comprising:

• a fabric on which the passenger sits, wherein the fabric comprises electrically conductive strands intertwined with electrically insulating strands;
• at least one temperature sensor in the fabric that measures a temperature of the passenger;
• at least one environmental control element in the fabric that provides different sensations to the passenger;
• and
• control circuitry that operates the at least one environmental control element based on the temperature of the passenger, wherein the control circuitry receives signals from the at least one temperature sensor via the electrically conductive strands.

A method for operating an adaptive fabric that adapts to an individual's biometric state, wherein the adaptive fabric comprises electrically conductive strands intertwined with electrically insulating strands, the method comprising:

• with a sensor in the fabric, gathering biometric information from the individual;
• with control circuitry:
• receiving the biometric information from the sensor via the electrically conductive strands, and
• activating a thermal haptic device in the fabric in response to the biometric information from the sensor;
• and
• with the thermal haptic device, changing a thermal property of the fabric in response to being activated.