Clothing that can monitor and transmit biomedical Info

Researchers at Laval University in the Canada developed "intelligent textiles" able to monitor and transmit biomedical information carriers through wireless networks or cellular.

This breakthrough technology, described in the scientific journal sensors, opens the way for a multitude of new developments for persons with chronic diseases, elderly people living alone, and even firefighters and police officers. A team under the supervision of Professor Younès Messaddeq created the intelligent fabric layering successfully from multiple layers of copper, polymers, glass and silver.

"The fiber serves both the sensor and the antenna," explains Professor Messaddeq, Research Chair of the Canada excellence innovations in photonics. "It is sustainable but malleable and can be woven with wool or cotton. And the signal quality is comparable to commercial antennas". The surface of the fibre can also be adjusted to monitor a range of information such as glucose levels, heart rate, brain activity, movements and spatial coordinates.

The design is based on hollow silica coated polymer fiber, with thick polyimide polymer coating. This allows him to withstand high tensile and bending mechanical abrasion, extreme heat conditions (up to 350 ° C), humidity, water, detergent or acid environments. A patent application has already been filed, if certain elements still need to be refined before innovation is ready for commercialization.

"" Of course, the technology should be connected to a wireless network - and it is the issue of power to solve ", notes Messaddeq."We tested a number of solutions, and the results are promising."