Wearable technology has become a part of everyday life. What we don’t really take notice of is the fact that our bodies are constantly producing data and technology has made this easier to quantify. Including FitBits health monitoring apps and step counters. “In 2014, 14 million health and fitness trackers were sold worldwide. This figure is expected to increase to almost 40 million in 2016” (Facts, 2018). Lifestyle and food consumption is becoming more popular with the rise of Veganism. Although for some time it was a very controversial topic and you were open to a slagging from your friends being vegan has now become normalised. According to Suzanne Harrington “the word ‘vegan’ has now become as normalised as ‘vegetarian’ 20 years ago. We are evolving”. (Irishexaminer.com, 2018) In this TedTalk Lauren Constantini talks about the endless possibilities wearable technology has allowed for, but also what options have still not been explored by most of the consumer market. She describes it as ‘expanding our humanness’. Using technology to expand your capabilities and using these activity sensors to monitor almost any data. Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESv2CgyJag We all know how slow Irish healthcare can be at times and how many of us like to pretend we are looking after ourselves, but these wearable technology apps are allowing for us to monitor all this person by person. As humans we wait until the very last moment to treat ourselves. We wait until we wake up sick or have had the signs of a cold for a few days before treating it. This can give you a signal to get something checked or that you may be run down and developing an illness. We look at how medicine, technology and even human awareness has adapted over the last 50 years and we can only project how these can move forward. What if these apps allowed you to monitor your heart activity and not just your stress level and bpm, what is it could tell you how long you needed to rest for and what would be the best way to relax. Or monitor your cholesterol instead of going to your doctor for regular check-ups or amazingly even allow you to take a picture of a mole on your body and tell you if you are at risk to cancer. There are also possibilities of managing your moods. This app can monitor what events or activities are associated with certain moods for example if you are at a party with friends you could be excited and happy, if you are working hard trying to meet deadlines you could be stressed. This then sends signals to you to tell you to take some deep breaths and relax. Because we have all lied before pretending that we are not actually stressed. With health risks burdening people every day we wonder if these wearable technologies will grow in the large consumer market available to them. Maybe if Kim Kardashian uses them it might become the social norm but only time will tell. Refrences
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![]() The Future of Smart Textiles Samantha Louth Smart Textiles can be classified in three categories. Each has evolved over time, some can be termed as ‘traditional’. Passive smart textiles - Passive is where a technology is integrated into a textile and its function is to do the one job, there is little combination. This is a early development of smart textiles, it is widely functionable when it comes to weather and change of climates. The ‘anti-microbial, anti-odour, anti-static, bullet-proof’ functions are dormant and do not further develop. Active smart textiles - This is the next generation from passive textiles. Technology engages and has the ability to store information. ‘Shape memory, chameleonic, water-resistant and vapour permeable.. heat storage, thermoregulated, vapour absorbing, and heat evolving fabric and electrically heated suits.’ For example, I wake up to go to work, I put my black blazer on - this means I drink coffee i.e the coffee machine downstairs in my kitchen prepares me a coffee. I grab my coffee, I then put my overcoat on, this is already heated because this is what I wear on cold winter mornings. The active textiles can predict what we will do based on our routine, this gives the algorithms that generate functionalities that we use regularly. Ultra smart textiles - These are the ultimately intelligent textile. The ultra smart fabric ‘consists of a unit, which works like a brain, with cognition , reasoning and activating capacities.’ This means it can adapt to the environment/climate we are in, detect our body tempeture. Connect with our phones, or a similar technology we will use for connectivity in the future. It could send out signals to a close by friend to meet for a coffee. This can also use algorithms to predict our next move, what are we doing, where are we going etc. The possibilities are endless. The future of smart textile is now, but only popular amongst the innovator type of consumer, the ones first on the market to have whats new. Smart textiles are slowly creeping into the market, made available for the average consumer. Certain products hit niche markets, a small percent of people that are willing to buy the product for a certain functionality , for example - health monitoring clothing, ‘The sensory baby vest’- which consists of monitors and sensors that track a babies breathing, movement etc. In the long term future, smart textiles are widely available to everyone. In the future it is a way of living. In the future they are not a big deal, everyone has smart fabrics in their wardrobes. Like smartphones, 10/15 years ago, smart fabrics will eventually saturate the market. Does it seem far fetched now? Think about predictions 20 years ago of location devices on us at all times or retina scanning or even shoes that strap on themselves. Basically, think how far fetched Speilbergs ‘Back to the future’ film was when you first watched it, now the things you see are an everyday technology. As technology develops from Passive to active to ultra, where will it be when the wider consumer panel is ready to use it? Md. Syduzzaman, Sarif Ullah Patwary, Kniz Farhana, Sharif Ahmed, Smart Textiles and Nano- Technology: A general overview(February 2015), Bangladesh University of Textiles, Bangladesh. Accessed: www.omicsonline.org on [15March2018] ![]() Temperature control author: Lauren Gaynor Are there ever days where you don’t know what to wear because when you go outside it’s so cold, so you decide to wrap up well and then you have so many layers on that once you go inside your way to warm? When we are to warm or to cold our bodies do a variety of things to get us back to the correct temperature that we should be for example when we are to warm our bodies begin to sweat to release water that has heated up inside us, then when we are to cold the small hairs all around are body stand up to keep in warm air. Well now thanks to the world of smart textiles there is now clothes that can control your temperature with out you having to put on and take of clothes and to not have to put up with feeling uncomfortable. You might wonder how clothes would be able to do this? well engineers in in the university of California are working on a fabric that becomes thinner or thicker base on the temperature around you. The cloth is designed to keep you at a constant temperature of 33°celsius as this is on average the ideal temperature for people, it does this by shrinking when it is hot and expanding when it is cold. When designing these clothes, the engineers at the university of California paid particular attention to certain areas of that body that get warmer than everywhere else for example the souls of your feet and your back. What are the benefits of these fabrics? There are a lot of benefits when it comes to these smart fabrics one of the main ones being that it will reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your rooms, Joseph Wang the project leader in the university of California said that “Not only does this smart cloth keep people cool, it could cut down on the energy needed to heat and cool buildings by at least 15 percent” (Joseph Wang,2015) Another huge benefit of these smart clothes is in the area of winter sports such as skiing, sledding and ice skating, for so long people have been wearing big huge ski jackets and trousers that can affect their comfort to move around now all they need is to put one of these smart cloth tops on and then just throw on what they want over. References: Joseph Wang, 17/07/2015, smart fabric keeps people heated & cooled (online) access: https://www.pddnet.com/news/2015/07/smart-fabric-keeps-people-heated-cooled Warbles for climate control,05/08/2016 (online) access: https://news.stanford.edu/2017/11/10/double-duty-textile-warm-cool/ Performance apparels markets, (online) access: https://www.textilesintelligence.com/tispam/index.cfm?pageid=3&repid=TISPAM&issueid=21&artid=1324 image https://news.stanford.edu/2017/11/10/double-duty-textile-warm-cool/ ![]() E-Textiles within sports are unlikely to be used in competition but could change the way athletes train for these major events. We all know the Swimsuit controversy in the 208 Beijing Olympics which saw 25 world records broken. According to bitLanders this is more than the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 combined. (Bitlanders, 2018) Some even went as far as saying it was "Spanx on steroids". (Smithsonianmag, 2018) Although I don’t anticipate the governing bodies to allow these to be allowed into the world of sport we can assume that athletes and sports scientists will integrate this into training and recovery programmes. Professional athletes depending on their sport put countless hours of training and competing. They push their bodies to the absolute extreme and sometimes an injury could end their career. We look at the Simone Biles’s and the Usain Bolts of the world and think combined with e-textiles; We ask ourselves, are there any limits? The ability to possibly monitor an athlete fully already exists in labs but what if a specific microchip is placed in a training suit that can easily monitor the athlete and make it more streamline. The potential is also there to monitor athletes in a way that can manage injuries and rehabilitation throughout their recovery process. Many companies are beginning to invest more and more into the development of these smart textiles such as Google, Nike, Under Armour but Adidas have invested a great deal buying over “fitness tracking company Runtastic in a deal worth more than $200million” and it is projected that “smart textiles are expected to consume $134million of sensors, more than half of which will be pressure sensors” (NewElectronics, 2018). Where is the funding coming from? When we look at the evolution of sportswear over the years it has come a long way, but when we are looking at smart textiles we look far beyond your running shoes, latex suits and current heart monitors being used. Thank god for investors like Emanuele Angelidis, CEO of Breed Reply who invests in technology start-ups and has said it is becoming a dynamic market. However, without the investment of Angelidis your other options are limited unless you are a formed brand such as Adidas. (NewElectronics, 2018). While I see a huge potential for this market to flourish I do think it will be a couple of years before these products become available to the mass market if they even do. Author: Killian Morris Refrences Pic 1: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/241013017538618997/ Pic 2: http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-simone-biles Pic3:http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-technology/while-smart-textiles-for-wearables-remains-in-its-infancy-its-potential-is-huge/119045/ @jimmor12, F. (2018). Spanx on Steroids: How Speedo Created the New Record-Breaking Swimsuit. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/spanx-on-steroids-how-speedo-created-the-new-record-breaking-swimsuit-9662/ [Accessed 4 Mar. 2018]. bitLanders.(2018).BeijingOlympics2008.[online]Available at: http://www.bitlanders.com/blogs/beijing-olympics-2008/4007915 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018]. Newelectronics.co.uk. (2018). While smart textiles for wearables remains in its infancy, its potential is huge. [online] Available at: http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-technology/while-smart-textiles-for-wearables-remains-in-its-infancy-its-potential-is-huge/119045/ [Accessed 6 Mar. 2018]. ![]() Who is doing what when it comes to Smart & E-Textiles ? Samantha Louth The study of biology, textiles both synthetic and natural, engineering and the likes of 3D printing, the development of technology have all become a catalyst for what is out there now. Often these industries merge, ideas are sparked, the what if’s become infinite until they become reality. Great companies have research and development at their heart, they make it possible for a very different and ecological future. Many small and unheard of companies are the power houses in changing the future. These small powerhouses, will evolve in the future, in turn, they will become the spark that sets off more great business with a similar objective. Businesses like BioFur, Pembient, Modern Meadow, BioLoom, Bolt Thread, Biocouture, Getinterwoven, Faber Futures, BIOFABRICATE are creating smart textiles and alike. Specialisation is the name of the game in this broad area of advancing research. For example, Leather can now be real without killing a species for it. Certain proteins can be enhanced and amplified in a synthesis so as to create these amazing garments and products. Less energy is required, i.e animals being fed until they're death, just to extract the leather from their lifeless carcass. Modern Meadow is a company that specialises in this cruelty free leather industry. It is in fact 100% leather due to the biological engineering. “We spent the 20th century mastering chemistry to turn oil into high-performance, tunable synthetic materials. We learned how proteins fold, we sequenced our own genome and learnt to read and write with DNA. Now we’re using those tools to build the high-performing, biological materials of the 21st century.” (modernmeadow.com, 2018) Similar to this is Bolt Threads. Bolt Threads take the idea of spiders creating silk, they research ad developed their study of this over years. From this they have created a sustainable process to creating silk, without the requirement of spiders. They are sustainable as they combat the polyester market in their characteristics. Using the silk proteins, they have created genes of such which have been embedded into yeast, it is fermented with sugar and water, with two taps of a magic wand it is then turned into durable silk fabric. No more hem slippage or sweaty polyester dresses in the future. Studio XO is another futuristic, e-textile, wearable tech company, based in London, UK. This firm creates interactive clothing, or as they like to say, the create ‘digital couture experiences’. Studio XO can be specifically categorised as e-clothing which formalises itself as costume. Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon and Black Eyed Peas are some of their clients according to The next Black. Lady Gaga premiered one of Studio XO’s creations after one of her concerts, a bubble machine. She wore a dress that was architected with a bubble machine within it, reminding the fashion industry and larger public as to why fashion is so exciting. The collaboration of different industries and utilisation of top range technology can be seen in certain aspects of the industry for a range of many outcomes. With the help of another emerging technology, 3D printing, the information gathered by scientists and design created by creatives, 3D printing allows these products to be formed. An example of this is Dutch designer Joris Laarman’s work, the designer created a chair made from bone tissue. All in all, the companies out at the moment are facilitating changes for the future. They are inspiring others and influencing the next generation for things that are intrinsically important, things like sustainability. The next generation, Y & Z, they are aware of climate change, ethical issues when it comes to animals and pollution of water resources. Hence, this generation has the power to use knowledge acquired at a young age, becoming an integral part of themselves. This is exciting because it makes for an even more unpredictable, adventurous future. What will be out next? References: Modern Meadow - About Us, (online) http://www.modernmeadow.com/about-us/ [accessed on 27Feb2018] Bolt Thread - Technology, (online) https://boltthreads.com/technology/ [accessed on 17Feb18] The Next Black, 2014. (video) via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCsGLWrfE4Y [accessed on 20Feb18] Image 1.1 - Samantha Louth, Plant Protein, 2015 1.2 - Karolinska Institutet, Making Biological Drugs with Spider Silk Protein, 2017, (online) https://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2017/05/making-biological-drugs-spider-silk-protein , [accessed 27Feb2018] 1.3 - Daniel Nicolas, CAB Burgos, JL, (online) http://www.jorislaarman.com/work/bone-chair/ [accessed on 20Feb18] ![]() Smart textiles and the armed forces author: Lauren Gaynor When you think of the most dangerous jobs there is, what do you think of? If you’re like me you would probably think of the People who are in the armed forces for example the army, navy and the air force. These people risk their lives every day and put themselves in lots of dangerous situations, so something that could potentially help save their lives seems like an amazing idea and something that should unquestionably be done. This is where smart textiles play a very important role in the future of the armed forces. There are new developments such as clothes that have tracking devices in them so that they are able to be easily tracked and found. This means that if you see that they are not moving or staying in one spot for to long that the people who are tracking them can send out help to them get them as soon as they can. This would be a perfect thing to have if unfortunately, a soldier was to be shot and needed urgent care to stop bleeding this could be given. Another new thing that they have developed is clothes that can alarm you if you come into contact with harmful gases or chemicals that could potentially be life threatening. “by adding this fabric to a protective suit, sensors can alert the user if a chemical is penetrating the hazardous-material gear” – Katherine Mirica who is an assistant professor of chemistry. (Katherine Mirica, 2017) This is done by using metal organic frameworks (MOFS) these work by forming a net like material that when it comes into contact with a chemical the chemical fills the holes and the net changes colour alarming the person that they are near a harmful chemical. One of the other most impressive and perhaps the most important new developments to the armed forces sector due to smart textiles is in the camouflage section. In the military one of the most important things when out in battle is to not be seen. This can determine whether you stay or go home. New smart textiles are being made to help people stay hidden, this is done by their uniforms changing colour due to their body temperatures and their surroundings. References: Katherine Mirica, 1/11/2017. New soft e-textiles, (online) access https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171101091948.htm Idst smart clothes of the future, 12/03/2017 (online) access: http://idstch.com/home5/international-defence-security-and-technology/technology/materials/military-transforming-wearables-smart-textiles-sensing-energy-harvesting-communication/ Technavio global smart textiles market for military, dec 2016 (online) access:https://www.technavio.com/report/global-defense-global-smart-textiles-market-military-2016-2020 Images: 1st image https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171101091948.htm 2nd image https://www.cnet.com/news/wearables-at-war-how-smart-textiles-are-lightening-the-load-for-soldiers/ ![]() A New World Where Clothing is Smart Samantha Louth 23Feb2018 In an age of information, intelligence and technology - has our clothing developed with the times ? Not our skinny jeans, perms, crocs or Louis V bags. The thing we connect with the most everyday. The thing we bring with us everywhere we go in life. The thing we don't break up with , thats always there, clothing. Why has there been no significant developments in the clothing sector in the last hundred years until now? Corruption of capitalism you say? Maybe. Although a longer more sustainable ecological system will keep corrupt capitalist happier in the long run. A blue water has been found. Smart clothing and e-textiles. Something which is still in initial stages of research. The large area has opened the gates to many design possibilities, an aray of purposeful functionalities in clothing and certainly a different prospect of what we wear, how we wear and why we wear clothing. Our clothing may have the potential to be as intelligent as us. Not so difficult for some you say? This transformative industry heavily relies on scientists, engineers and designers, this is where they meet in the middle. Wearable technology has the ability to monitor us. Physiological monitoring of our body's performance in recognition with the amazing advances in extracting the data has lead to a disruption in the market. Bodies can work harder and with ease in regard to the sporting industry. Bodies and health can also be monitored closely with this amazing technology. The pharmaceutical industry and growth of a type of D.I.Y health industry is a catalyst for this performance monitoring technology. ‘Body Area Networks’ are expected to become huge in the next several years. It will play a major role in the patient health monitoring and seek to be analysed by medical practitioners at each check up. When this BANs becomes mainstream it will be hugely beneficial, clearing out overcrowded hospitals, making the most of the squeamish time frame doctors have for patients. The main goal with BANs is to strategically change the ‘disease treatment’ to ‘healthy life’, by monitoring what is going on, taking control of ones own health before it declines. Smart clothing and wearable technology/e-textiles have an aray of functions, sectors of specification. All of which are most exciting. An area to be found highly facisnating is the merging of biology, design and careful engineering. In short terms, Biodesign. Biodesign is where organic processes and material become functionable in a way that it would create a product for us, i.e clothing made out of fungus. The DNA of a bacterial, fungal strain can be altered into creating a durable organism. Biological design and research can take the DNA from the composition of skin, human, animal and otherwise, and create its own version of this skin. Dont let this scare or even remind you Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume. It is purely to create sustainablilty within the largest polluting industries in the world. Scientists have the power to take a certain characteristic of a skin and influence it DNA so as to emphasis a certain property , i.e the elasticity and softness of skin can be altered by changing the collagens DNA within its blueprint. This emerging technology is extremely exciting. Its possibilities are endless. To generalise, us humans generally don't give our nearest care giver much credit, our clothing. Subtly, this new technology will creep its way into our lives, if it hasn't already? Scary to some, but the light that guides for others. Can one of the most polluting industries redeem itself by saving us and our planet? Can we in fact change or consumption trends to culture are appreciate the art and precious care givers that fit us so well? References: Meg Miller, A guide to the $13.4 Billion Biodesign Industry, 02/03/2017, Accessed on https://www.fastcodesign.com/3067449/a-guide-to-the-134-billion-biodesign-industry David Dworsky, Victor Köhler, The Next Black, Film, Oct2014, Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCsGLWrfE4Y on 15Feb2018 Naohisa Ohta, Atsushi Takahara, Andrzej Jajszczyk, and Roberto Saracco, Emerging Technologies in Communications, VOL. 31, NO. 9, Sep2013 Minyoung Suh, Kate Carroll, and Nancy Cassill, Critical Review on Smart Clothing Product Development, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University. Image: Image 1, History of Wearable Technology, https://seminarlinks.blogspot.ie/2014/07/history-of-wearable-technology.html [accessed on17Feb2018] Image 2, JASMIN MALIK CHUA, Grow Your Own Microbial “Leather” in Your Kitchen (DIY Tutorial), [online] Available at https://inhabitat.com/ecouterre/grow-your-own-microbial-leather-in-your-kitchen-diy-tutorial/ [accessed on 17Feb2018] ![]() Essentially e-Textiles are intelligent textiles that contain a small microchip. Does this mean clothing will change in anyway or we will be wearing futuristic suits? To answer bluntly. No. As we move further into the age of technology we see several developments towards making your clothing as smart as your smartphone. We assume that for most of our lives we are in contact with textiles, unless you prefer the commando lifestyle. What if these developments could revolutionise the way we interact with textiles. This could be the electric shock bed-sheets connected to your alarm clock that kicks you up the behind in the morning, or even the wingspan shirt that can allow you to fly? (Okay maybe we are thinking a little outside the box). What if we were to say that the development of science and technology has created microfibers that could moderate your body temperature and possibly indicate to you, you’re sick or developing an illness. These microfibers have been developed to detect change without being affected themselves. Crazy right? According to TechNavio they believe the market will increase by 25% between now and 2022 with healthcare monitoring being the key demand. (Size, Size and WIRE, 2018) A senior analyst within TechNavo has said the main purpose of these products are ‘“The introduction of high-functional e-textiles is enabling in monitoring and improving the overall health of an individual. Moreover, these e-textiles are also used in personal protective equipment and apparels to reduce the extent of risks that users are exposed to and provide them with suitable environment-based external stimuli.’ (Size, Size and WIRE, 2018) Maybe this is what the science world has been waiting for, a collaboration with the tech world to advance medicine. Think of it this way, 10 years ago operations on organs or treatments of serious illness were not as advanced, now to medical professionals it has become second nature. Or 10 years ago when you were using your MySpace or Bebo page and not Facebook or Instagram. The collaboration of these two areas I think, could change the way we think and live. Based on the market shares and market size the investment and evolution of ideas to practical products continues. It is hard to imagine in 10 years’ time what the modern world will look like as we move toward the 22nd Century. There could be endless opportunity for growth and development, only time will tell if these products stand a chance in an ever-changing time. Author: Killian Morris
Refrences: Size, F., Size, F. and WIRE, B. (2018). Key Findings of the Global E-textile Market|Technavio.[online]Businesswire.com.Availableat:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180201006048/en/Key-Findings-Global-E-textile-Market-Technavio(Accessed11Feb. 2018). Koleilat Research Group at Dalhousie University. (2018). Koleilat Research Group at Dalhousie University. [online] Available at: https://www.koleilatresearchgroup.com/light-interactive-and-power-textiles (Accessed 11 Feb. 2018). Textilemag.com. (2018). Smart textiles – Textile Mag. [online] Available at: https://www.textilemag.com/tag/smart-textiles/ [Accessed 11 Feb. 2018] |
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