Smart yarn and method for manufacturing a yarn containing an electronic device

A method for producing a smart yarn, the method comprising:

• advancing a set of wires into an assembly field along a longitudinal direction, the set of wires comprising a first wire parallel and laterally offset from a second wire by a wire offset distance approximating a terminal offset distance;
• at each sensor site in a series of sensor sites longitudinally offset along the set of wires extending in the longitudinal direction by a sensor offset distance and sequentially entering the assembly field as the set of wires is advanced into the assembly field:
• depositing a first volume of solder paste onto a first terminal location, on the first wire, coincident the sensor site;
• depositing a second volume of solder paste onto a second terminal location, on the second wire, coincident the sensor site;
• placing a sensor onto the set of wires at the sensor site, the sensor comprising a first terminal in contact with the first volume of solder paste on the first wire and comprising a second terminal offset from the first terminal by the terminal offset distance and in contact with the second volume of solder paste on the second wire;
• and
• heating the set of wires within the assembly field to reflow the first volume of solder paste and the second volume of solder paste;
• and
• wrapping fibers around the set of wires and sensors arranged along the set of wires to form a continuous length of the smart yarn;
• separating a first segment of the smart yarn from the continuous length of the smart yarn;
• and
• weaving the first segment of the smart yarn into a garment.