Wearable technologies

A method for creating electrodes on the surfaces of textiles using only water-soluble monomers and visible wavelengths of radiation is being developed by researchers at Linköping University in Swed

Researchers in the UK are developing a smart-textile band that will be able to monitor the progress of sarcopenia, an age-related condition characterised by loss of muscle mass, function and power.

A flexible, thin-film moisture-sensor that can be incorporated into diapers has been developed by Toray of Tokyo, Japan.

A strong and flexible piezoelectric composite that could generate electricity from human motion to power wearable sensors is being developed by researchers in Japan. 

Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns that convert mechanical movement into electricity do so more effectively than other material-based energy-harvesters, according to their developers at the University of

A microelectronic fibre that is capable of analysing electrolytes and metabolites in sweat and could be woven into clothes for healthcare applications is being developed by researchers at Tohoku Un

A knitted hat for infants that changes colour in response to increases in body temperature is being developed by a researcher at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Batton Rouge, USA. 

A cost-effective and scalable screen-printing process that enables electrodes to be deposited on flexible substrates, such as textiles, is being developed by researchers at Washington State Univers

A sensor that measures physical contact between a face mask and its wearer’s face, and can be applied to any kind of mask, is being developed by researchers in the USA, who say that it could be use

A wearable sensor that can communicate with other electronic devices wirelessly without onboard chips or batteries is being developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MI

A water-activated, disposable paper battery that could be used to power a wide range of low-power, single-use disposable electronics is being developed by researchers at Empa in Dübendorf, Switzerl

Fabrics made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are excellent conductors of heat, meaning that they could serve as a cooling interface between human skin and wearable electronic

A conformable, sensor-embedded sticky patch that can be used to monitor the health of its wearer without malfunctioning or peeling-off, even when they are perspiring, is being developed by research

A vapour-permeable, flexible, and highly elastic and electrically conductive mat could be useful in the production of health-monitoring devices, soft robotics and on-skin electronics, according to

An armband that could be used to monitor the electrical activity of its wearer's heart – eliminating the need for conventional wired electrodes – is being developed by researchers at North Carolina

A novel film that can rapidly absorb human sweat is being developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS), who have also shown that it could be used to generate energy for we

A textile-based wearable device that simultaneously and synchronously monitors and assesses the heart, lungs and upper vascular system of its wearer has received Class II 510(k) clearance from the

A range of safety products for firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel and other professionals who frequently work in hazardous conditions has been unveiled by Teijin of Tokyo, Japan.

Global fastenings manufacturer YKK has worked with wearable technology specialist Lifekey to develop an interactive zip fastener called TouchLink.

A re-usable digital sensor that can notify caregivers of when an incontinence product needs to be changed has been launched by Essity of Stockholm, Sweden. 

A wearable personal heating-and-cooling device, called the Reon Pocket, has been launched by Sony of Tokyo, Japan.

Wearable devices that enable those who have been in close proximity to someone infected with human coronavirus (COVID-19) to be traced and notified without the need for a smartphone have been launc

A wearable device and a set of algorithms designed to detect the early signs and symptoms of human coronavirus (COVID-19), and to monitor patients as the illness progresses, has been developed by r

Kamedi, a start-up company based in Karlsruhe, Germany, has developed a simple method for treating insect bites using a small device that plugs into the charging port of a smartphone.

An elastic material made from a mixture of gelatin and other bio-based ingredients is sufficiently stable to be combined with electronic components, opening-up new possibilities in the development

A flexible supercapacitor that can use human sweat as an electrolyte, and could potentially generate enough power to run exercise monitors and other electronic devices has been developed by researc

A wireless smart patch that allows the respiration, heart rate and – in future – the temperature of a patient to be monitored on a continuous basis has been developed by Henkel Adhesive Technologie

A thin, stretchable electronic material for the production of biomedical and wearable technologies has the added benefit of being breathable.

StretchSense of Auckland, New Zealand, which claims to be the creator of the world’s first motion-capture glove based on stretchable sensors, has acquired animation company MocapNow of Seattle, Was

The need to support those undertaking physical tasks is driving the adoption of exoskeleton technology across multiple sectors, according to a new report by Omdia of London, UK.

During April 2020, Nufabrx of Conover, North Carolina, worked with two other small US companies to develop and launch re-usable face masks that exploit the antimicrobial benefits of copper.

Isansys Lifecare reports that following a surge in UK and international orders for its advanced patient-monitoring system caused by the human coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it is working with eng

A supercapacitor based on forests of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on an elastomer substrate remains fully functional even when stretched to eight times its original size.

A carbon nanotube (CNT)-based material developed in the USA is pliable enough to be woven into fabrics to create sensors that could serve as an early warning system for injury or illness.

Ossia of Bellevue, Washington, USA, a developer of wireless power technology for such as automotive electronics, has entered into a partnership with Saint-Gobain of Courbevoie, France.

Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques and nanotechnology have been exploited in the development of a durable, flexible sensor for wearable devices by researchers at the University of Waterloo in O

A wearable device can significantly reduce the heat signature of its wearer when viewed through night-vision devices, even when the ambient temperature changes. 

The market for wearable patches is currently exploding, but, as Adrian Wilson reports, for textile manufacturers, there is little to be gained from selling flexible carrier materials by the square

A patch that can deliver immune checkpoint inhibitors and cold atmospheric plasma directly into tumours to help boost immune response and kill cancer cells has been developed by researchers in the

A flexible device that can convert body heat into electrical energy with a high degree of efficiency has been developed by researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, USA. 

A wristwatch-sized device that can monitor its wearer’s body chemistry to help improve their athletic performance and identify potential health problems has been developed by researchers in the USA

Sensor-containing wearables are set to become critical tools in making robots more widely available, an application that is unlikely to have occurred to the early developers of smart fabrics. 

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has introduced what it claims to be the world’s first all-in-one connected babycare system (called Lumi by Pampers) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in

A patch designed by engineers at the University of Missouri in Columbia, USA, can cool the skin to which it is applied while also monitoring blood pressure, the electrical activity of the heart and

HaptX has announced a strategic partnership with Advanced Input Systems and has secured US$12 million in funding from investors for the production of its haptic-feedback gloves (HaptX Gloves).

A range of narrow woven base materials for smart textile products have been developed by Bally Ribbon Mills (BRM) of Bally, Philadelphia, USA. 

Suunto of Vantaa, Finland,​ has introduced a version of its wearable motion and biometrics sensor for medical applications, called Movesense MD.

Wearable technology is being used to collect and assess data on movement and activity in a study evaluating a potential treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease, a hereditary neuro

Wearable technology can be used to identify heart-rate irregularities that subsequent clinical evaluations confirmed to be atrial fibrillation, according to a study from the Stanford University Sch