A new smart fabric can convert body heat and solar energy into electricity, meaning wearable tech may soon be able to operate continuously without the need for an external power source.
“Imagine a coat that captures solar energy to keep you cozy on a chilly winter walk, or a shirt that can monitor your heart rate and temperature. Picture clothing athletes can wear to track their performance without the need for bulky battery packs.”
These things are one step closer to possible, now that University of Waterloo researchers have developed a smart fabric with the potential for energy harvesting, health monitoring, and movement tracking.
According to a research brief, the fabric can convert body heat and solar energy into electricity, meaning wearable tech may soon be able to operate continuously without the need for an external power source. Sensors to monitor temperature and stress, and possibly other biomarkers, can be integrated into the material, adding to the body of development towards integrating advanced textile technologies into wearable technology.
One promising application, says the brief from the University of Waterloo, is smart face masks that can track breathing temperature and rate and detect chemicals in breath to help identify viruses, cancer, and other conditions.
“We have developed a fabric material with multifunctional sensing capabilities and self-powering potential,” said Yuning Li, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. “This innovation brings us closer to practical applications for smart fabrics.”
Li, director of Waterloo’s Printable Electronic Materials Lab, said in a statement: “AI technology is evolving rapidly, offering sophisticated signal analysis for health monitoring, food and pharmaceutical storage, environmental monitoring, and more. However, this progress relies on extensive data collection, which conventional sensors, often bulky, heavy, and costly, cannot meet.
“Printed sensors, including those embedded in smart fabrics, are ideal for continuous data collection and monitoring. This new smart fabric is a step forward in making these applications practical.”
Apparently, the fabric is “more stable, durable, and cost-effective than other fabrics on the market.” Presumably this is referring to other smart fabrics.
This is indeed, not the first smart fabric. Another example is 3DKnITS, developed by MIT researchers. 3DKnITS conforms to the body and senses movements like walking, running, jumping, and yoga poses with high accuracy. Using a process called thermoforming, pressure sensors are integrated into a multilayered knit, enhancing their precision. The fabric, produced via digital knitting technology, enables rapid, scalable prototyping and has potential healthcare applications, such as smart shoes for gait tracking or socks to monitor diabetic foot pressure.
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