Imagine wearing clothes that use solar energy to keep you warm on winter walks, or a shirt that automatically measures your temperature and heart rate. A group of Canadian scientists introduced a smart fabric with these astounding characteristics.
Using Solar Energy and Body Heat for Power
A group at the University of Waterloo in Canada invented a novel fabric, which can generate electricity from solar energy and body heat, possibly eliminating the need for external power sources(1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Novel self-powered smart fabric may enhance your health
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This creates opportunities for incorporating different sensors within the fabric to track things like temperature and stress. The material has sensors to track pressure, chemical composition, and other characteristics. It can also sense temperature changes.
Smart Fabric with Sensors for Health Tracking
One promising use of this fabric is the development of smart face masks that can monitor breath temperature and rate while identifying substances that may suggest infections, lung cancer, or other health issues.
Prof. Yuning Li of the University stated, “We have created a fabric with multifunctional sensing capabilities and the potential for self-powering, bringing us closer to practical smart fabric applications”.
The innovation provides a fabric that is more stable, durable, and cost-effective, unlike current wearable electronics that often rely on external power sources or regular recharging. The study demonstrates the potential of combining cutting-edge textile technology with novel materials such as conductive polymers and MXene to create wearable smart fabrics.
The research was conducted in collaboration with Jiangnan University in China. Li stated, “This new smart fabric is a significant advancement in making environmental tracking, health monitoring, and other applications of AI technology practical.”
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The upcoming research phase will focus on improving the performance of the fabric and integrating it with electrical components. The main goal is to enable real-time, non-invasive health monitoring and daily use. We will also develop a smartphone app in collaboration with electrical and computer specialists to track and send data from the fabric.
Reference:
- Novel self-powered smart fabric may enhance your health
– (https:www.deshsewak.org/english/news/167337 )
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