Medical applications of smart textiles

Insight Centre for Data Analytics, National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland 

The advantage to medical practitioners is a more thorough insight into their patients well-being in the home setting. This provides a full picture rather than the snapshot clinical visits, which may miss important events. Wearable sensing devices can give doctors 

Textile-based strain sensors have been demonstrated using stretch fabrics modified with inherently conductive polymers (Rovira et al., 2011) or carbon-loaded mbbers (Tognetti et al., 2005). Knitting with conductive yams is another approach to creating 

Physiological measurement Textile-integrated sensors Signal source Typical sensor placement 

Breathing patterns Piezoresistive stretch sensors, inductive plethysmography, impedance plethysmography, optical fibres Expansion and contraction of ribcage during breathing Thoracic- abdominal region 

---