This new material can measure heart rate through the shirt

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So-called “carbon nanotube wires” work similarly to the wires of an electrocardiogram control (EKG) device, which measures heart rates to detect heart conditions. But instead of having to stick them to the skin, they can be sewn into a T-shirt and worn like a normal sports suit, according to a new study conducted in research by an engineering lab at the Brown School of Rice University. And unlike cables, they say wires can be moved comfortably with the user and can be washed, stretched and worn repeatedly without breaking.

While it is likely to be far from going into production for consumers, the material may end up helping to replace bulky Holter EKG monitors in medical settings and heart rate watch and chest straps for athletes, in addition to ‘other potential uses.

“Another interesting application of this technology is that we can use it for next-generation military uniforms,” Lauren Taylor, a graduate student at Rice University and lead author of the study, said in a video about the product. “Not only can we use this material for EKG electrodes, but we can also use them as antennas to be able to track the location of military personnel.”
Global spending on portable devices is expected to grow 18%, to $ 81.5 billion in 2021, and another 15% in 2022, according to Gartner. Many technology companies have invested in creating similar capabilities in devices: apple (AAPL) Watch introduced heart rate monitoring in 2018 and has added other medical features and in 2019, Google (GOOGL GOOGLE) announced its plans to buy FitBit, a deal finalized earlier this year.
Researchers at Rice University have developed threads of carbon nanotubes that can be sewn into normal sportswear and used to measure users ’heart rates.

The Rice University lab first developed carbon nanotube fiber in 2013 and has studied its use in medical procedures, such as cochlear implants for hearing loss and to repair damaged hearts. But at the time, the original filaments (about 22 microns wide) were too thin to be used by a standard sewing machine.

For this last iteration, the researchers worked with a rope maker to weave the filaments into a material similar to normal sewing thread that could be sewn into sportswear. The resulting “smart” t-shirt provides “soft, portable, dry sensors for continuous, non-invasive electrocardiogram control,” according to the study. (However, it’s worth noting that existing EKG monitors have improved to become quite comfortable and unobtrusive).

With some modifications, clothing with these fibers could end up tracking other vital signs, according to the researchers.

However, “smart” t-shirts aren’t completely cordless. An example shows the nanotube fibers in the jacket that feed the signals to the cables at the bottom that transmit information via Bluetooth technology to a computer.

“You just can’t find soft, flexible, spinning materials that are comfortable to the touch, that you can work with, that you can build a bridge from, or that you can build a power line from, but you can also run through a sewing machine.” , said Oliver Dewy, a member of the research team. “Nothing else behaves like that.”

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