Nanotechnology in Smart Textiles and Wearables

The number and variety of smart textiles and wearable electronic devices has increased significantly in the past few years, as they offer significant enhancements to human comfort, health and well-being.

Wearable low-power silicon electronics, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated on fabrics, textiles with integrated Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) and electronic devices such as smart glasses, watches and lenses have been widely investigated and commercialized (e.g. Google glass, Apple Watch).

There is increasing demand for wearable electronics from industries such as:
– Medical and healthcare monitoring and diagnostics.

– Sportswear and fitness monitoring (bands).

– Consumer electronics such as smart watches, smart glasses and headsets.

– Military GPS trackers, equipment (helmets) and wearable robots.

– Smart apparel and footwear in fashion and sport.

– Workplace safety and manufacturing.

However, improvements in sensors, flexible & printable electronics and energy devices are necessary for wider implementation and nanomaterials and/or their hybrids are enabling the next phase convergence of textiles, electronics and informatics.

They  are opening the way for the integration of electronic components and sensors (e.g. heat and humidity) in high strength, flexible and electrically conductive textiles with energy storage and harvesting capabilities, biological functions, antimicrobial properties, and many other new functionalities.

The industry is now moving towards the development of electronic devices with flexible, thin, and large-area form factors.

Electronic devices that are fabricated on flexible substrates for application in flexible displays, electronic paper, smart packages, skin-like sensors, wearable electronics, implantable medical implements etc. is a fast growing market. Their future development depends greatly on the exploitation of advanced materials. (See Our YouTube Video – below)

Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNT), silver nanowires graphene and other 2D materials are viewed as key materials for the future development of wearable electronics for implementation in healthcare and fitness monitoring, electronic devices incorporated into clothing and ‘smart skin’ applications (printed graphene-based sensors integrated with other 2D materials for physiological monitoring).

 

Genesis Nanotechnology Inc.

“Great Things from Small Things”

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