Future Washable Smart Clothes Powered by Wi-Fi Will Monitor Your Health
June 14, 2021 | Purdue UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Purdue University engineers have developed a method to transform existing cloth items into battery-free wearables resistant to laundry. These smart clothes are powered wirelessly through a flexible, silk-based coil sewn on the textile.
In the near future, all your clothes will become smart. These smart cloths will outperform conventional passive garments, thanks to their miniaturized electronic circuits and sensors, which will allow you to seamlessly communicate with your phone, computer, car and other machines. This smart clothing will not only make you more productive but also check on your health status and even call for help if you suffer an accident. The reason why this smart clothing is not all over your closet yet is that the fabrication of this smart clothing is quite challenging, as clothes need to be periodically washed and electronics despise water.
Purdue engineers have developed a new spray/sewing method to transform any conventional cloth items into battery-free wearables that can be cleaned in the washing machine.
"By spray-coating smart clothes with highly hydrophobic molecules, we are able to render them repellent to water, oil and mud," said Ramses Martinez, an assistant professor in Purdue's School of Industrial Engineering and in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering in Purdue's College of Engineering. "These smart clothes are almost impossible to stain and can be used underwater and washed in conventional washing machines without damaging the electronic components sewn on their surface."
The rigidity of typical waterproof garments and their reduced breathability make them feel uncomfortable after being worn for a few hours.
"Thanks to their ultrathin coating, our smart clothes remain as flexible, stretchable and breathable as conventional cotton T-shirts," Martinez said.
Unlike common wearables, the Purdue smart clothes do not require batteries for powering. By simply harvesting energy from Wi-Fi or radio waves in the environment, the clothes are capable of powering the circuitry sewn on the textile.
One example is a battery-free glove that illuminates its fingertips every time the user is near a live cable to warn about the possibility of an electric shock. Another is a miniaturized cardiac monitoring system sewn on a washable sweatband capable of monitoring the health status of the wearer.
"Such wearable devices, powered by ubiquitous Wi-Fi signals, will make us not only think of clothing as just a garment that keeps us warm but also as wearable tools designed to help us in our daily life, monitor our health and protect us from accidents," Martinez said.
"I envision smart clothes will be able to transmit information about the posture and motion of the wearer to mobile apps, allowing machines to understand human intent without the need of other interfaces, expanding the way we communicate, interact with devices, and play video games."
This technology can be fabricated in conventional, large-scale sewing facilities, which are expected to accelerate the development and commercialization of future smart clothes.
Suggested Items
Koh Young Installs 24,000th Inspection System at Fabrinet Chonburi
04/23/2025 | Koh YoungKoh Young, the global leader in True 3D measurement-based inspection and metrology solutions, proudly announces the installation of its 24,000th inspection system at Fabrinet Chonburi in Thailand. This advanced facility is operated by Fabrinet Co., Ltd., a global provider of advanced manufacturing services, specializing in complex optical, electro-optical, and electronic products
ViTrox Marks 25 Years of Innovation with Cutting-Edge Solutions at NEPCON China 2025 in Shanghai
04/18/2025 | ViTrox TechnologiesViTrox, which aims to be the World’s Most Trusted Technology Company, is proud to announce its participation in NEPCON China 2025, taking place from April 22–24, 2025, at Booth #1E45, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre (SWEECC).
Transforming the Future of Mobility: DuPont Unveils Silver Nanowire Products in South Korea
04/17/2025 | DuPontDuPont will showcase its state-of-the-art products that incorporate silver nanowire technologies in Hall D, Booth A31 at Electronics Manufacturing Korea (EMK) and Automotive World Korea (AWK) exhibitions from April 16 to 18.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Intraratio—Empowering Manufacturing With Data-first Solutions
04/16/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPORyan Gamble, CEO of Intraratio, shares insights into the company's 15-year journey in developing data-first software solutions for manufacturing. The focus is on empowering organizations through a cloud-based system that automates quality control and enhances efficiency. This system integrates seamlessly with existing machines, providing real-time inventory tracking and predictive maintenance, all while reducing labor needs and ensuring smooth deployment.
Worldwide Smartphone Market Grew 1.5% in Q1 2025, Amid On-going US-China Trade Tension
04/15/2025 | IDCAccording to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker , global smartphone shipments increased 1.5% year-over-year (YoY) to 304.9 million units in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25).