from TFOT The Future Of Things

Monday, May 12, 2008 – Roey Tzezana

Scientists taking part in the European project BIOTEX have developed prototype biosensors, which can be integrated into special fabrics. The sensors are capable of measuring sodium, chloride, and potassium in miniscule volumes of sweat samples on the skin. An added immunosensor can also detect the presence of specific proteins in sweat. This technology will enable a constant monitoring of our vital signs and will provide a non-stop medical assessment of our health.

It is 12 AM, and you are having the headache of your life. You can not concentrate on your screen, and you are too tired to care. All of a sudden, your phone rings. It’s your doctor, and he is worried. “Sir,” he says, “Your tie just called me about your perspiration. You’re almost dehydrated. You really should drink a few cups of water!” New fabrics are making their way to the market. They may not look like much at first – just your ordinary, run of the mill, cloths. However, when one looks deep into the fabric, a very different picture is revealed. All throughout the fibers, micro-chips and micro-sensors are hidden. Some of the sensors are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Their affect on our health and lifestyle, however, is going to be nothing short of revolutionary. At the moment, there are sensors that can measure the wearer’s body temperature or trace his or her heart activity. But, as the European Union’s SFIT group (Smart Fabrics, Interactive Textile) is bent on proving, sensors of this kind mark the beginning of a new era. If their predictions come true, quite soon the new fabrics will also be able to analyze the sweat our body exudes, and provide a non-stop assessment of our health

read the full story here

get more info about the European Project here