Now, wear your health on your sleeve

Scientists have now developed smart clothes that can monitor and transmit your biomedical information via wireless or cellular networks.

The technological breakthrough by researchers at Universite Laval, clears a path for a host of new developments for people suffering from chronic diseases, elderly people living alone, and even firemen and police officers.

A team under the supervision of Professor Younes Messaddeq created the smart fabric by successfully superimposing multiple layers of copper, polymers, glass, and silver.

Professor Messaddeq explained that the fiber acted as both sensor and antenna. It was durable but malleable, and could be woven with wool or cotton. And signal quality is comparable to commercial antennas. The surface of the fiber could also be adjusted to monitor a range of information such as glucose levels, heart rhythm, brain activity, movements, and spatial coordinates.

A patent application has already been filed, though certain elements still need to be fine-tuned before the innovation is ready for commercialization.

The technology will have to be connected to a wireless network, and there was the issue of power supply yet to be solved. They would also have to make sure the fabric was robust, and could stand up to chemicals found in laundry detergent, added Professor Messaddeq.

The study is published in the scientific journal Sensors.