Innovation

Smart Textiles

Life-saving sensors in clothing that analyze vital parameters and warn of dangerous situations.

Intelligent electronics, seamlessly integrated into textiles, represent the future of clothing. In one of our most innovative research areas, we focus on washable sensors that, thanks to their small dimensions and lightweight design of just five to ten grams, can be perfectly incorporated into all close-to-body garments.

To solve the washing issue once and for all, we leverage our extensive expertise in medical technology to develop autoclaveable encapsulation for the electronics. The result: 100 percent media-tight and washable smart textiles.

Next-gen multifunctional clothing.

In the field of smart textiles, the world of rigid electronics meets soft textiles for the first time, merging into a perfect unit. Thanks to the extreme miniaturization of electronic components and the use of very soft plastics, maximum wearing comfort is achieved — even down to underwear. Another major advantage is the integration of connected electronics into clothing. This means: it is possible to incorporate various sensor solutions at different locations within a single garment.

But what can smart textiles do? The combination of electronics and clothing primarily records vital parameters. The main areas of application are the medical, safety, sports, and gaming sectors. Smart textiles fully realize their potential in the clothing of firefighters or rescue workers — lifesavers for lifesavers.

Here, multiple features come into play. Primarily, the measurement and monitoring of all critical health metrics of the emergency personnel. Additionally, smart textiles can transmit important information to the operations center. The garments assist in navigation through caves or dense smoke and even warn against toxic gases.

T-shirts provide diagnoses.

In the medical field, the potential is far from exhausted. The remote monitoring of vital parameters has a wide range of applications — for instance, in preventing bedsores. On a broader scale, it’s about providing medical assistance from anywhere in the world without compromising quality. This means that doctors and patients no longer need to be in the same room to perform certain examinations or monitored rehabilitation measures.

Another area for smart textiles lies in the gaming universe. Here, the clothing can detect a player’s exact movements and translate them into games with hyper-realistic precision. Even professional athletes can have their movements analyzed and subsequently optimized. It’s clear — and woven into the fabric — that the potential of smart textiles is limitless.