Wearable Computing

Smart Clothes Technologies

Smart Clothes

 

Although experts estimate a high potential for smart clothes applications in the future, so far there are no promising industrial applications at hand. In order to promote the development of smart clothes extensive collaboration of industry partners of the fields of fiber, fabric and clothing technologies together with research partners of the fields of information and micro system technologies has been launched.

 

 

Technology - Platform for Smart Clothes

The aim of this interdisciplinary collaboration is the first modular technology platform dedicated to Smart Clothes, consisting of:

  • miniaturized smart sensors (e.g. temperature, moisture, pulse, ECG)
  • communication within fabrics (Fabric Area Network, FAN)
  • integrated digital signal processing, control and communication modules
  • energy generation and accumulation within fabrics
  • analysis of packaging possibilities of micro systems within smart clothes (reliability, environmental influences, washable, hygienic aspects)

 

 

Smart Clothes – The Future of Monitoring

Clothes with integrated vital sensors, signal processing and communication units are potential solutions for improving the continuous monitoring of vital functions. Especially for the monitoring of risk patients and nursing cases, the integration of sensors into clothes can be applied for monitoring vital functions of the patients without any annoyance and inconspicuously.

 

 

Bluetooth™-ECG-Shirt

 

One of the most important measurements for medical diagnosis is the recording of ECG data. Compared to standard devices a measurement system integrated into clothes offers a number of advantages especially for long time measurements, e.g. for risk patients or for the diagnosis of sporadic events (event monitoring). The Bluetooth™-ECG-Shirt can be worn like everyday clothing. Continuous supervision of vital parameters is indiscernible to other people and there is no effort required for the application of the sensors. Even the operation of the system can be realized without the need of the patient's interaction. Eudermic fabric electrodes are integrated into the shirt and hence placed correctly by default. The complete system can be washed just like usual clothing.