October 20, 2022 | Medical | Sensors/Data Acquisition | Wearables

Sensors Embedded into Face Masks, T-Shirts Monitor Vitals

Medical Design Briefs INSIDER

An industry-standard embroidery machine (left). Sensors embedded into a face mask and t-shirt (right). (Credit: Imperial College London)

Researchers have embedded low-cost sensors that monitor breathing, heart rate, and ammonia into t-shirts and face masks.

Potential applications range from monitoring exercise, sleep, and stress to diagnosing and monitoring disease through breath and vital signs.

Spun from a cotton-based conductive thread called PECOTEX, the sensors cost little to manufacture. Just $0.15 produces a meter of thread to seamlessly integrate more than 10 sensors into clothing, and PECOTEX is compatible with industry-standard computerized embroidery machines.

The researchers embroidered the sensors into a face mask to monitor breathing, a t-shirt to monitor heart activity, and textiles to monitor gases like ammonia, a component of the breath that can be used to detect liver and kidney function. The ammonia sensors were developed to test whether gas sensors could also be manufactured using embroidery.

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