Smart clothes are the new cutting edge of physio tech
7 Jul 2024
Smart phones and watches may have met their match from a surprising source when it comes to tracking the body’s movements.
New research by the universities of Bristol and Bath is examining the potential for clothing to be adapted to capture and record human actions. The hope is that every day clothing could help boost physio and rehabilitation.
The secret lies in conductive threads which are stitched into garment seams, allowing low voltages to pass through them and resistance changes record the movement of the wearer.
Said professor Mike Fraser of Bristol’s School of Computer Science:
“We've shown that common overlocked seams in standard garment constructions can do a good job of sensing movement. The design avoids the need for a separate power source by pairing the seam with a charging coil, drawing the energy wirelessly from a mobile phone placed in the pocket.
“This means advanced motion sensing garments could be made without altering existing manufacturing processes.”
The Bath and Bristol team’s research paper, presented at the recent Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) conference in Copenhagen, created a basis for e-textile designers and clothing manufacturers to create products that could enhance exercise, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, said the scientists.
In addition, said Fraser, smartphone apps using AI techniques could employ the movement data to match body movement to specific postures or gestures such as physiotherapeutic exercises.
