MIT has reportedly developed a machine-washable lightweight sensor that can be integrated into flexible fabrics to provide constant monitoring of vital signs including respiratory rate, heart rate and body temperature.
The sensor, which can be removed and reused in other garments, has potential applications in athletics, health industry and space exploration.
It can be a cost-effective alternative to telemedicine and in-person physician visits and may be suitable for patients with chronic conditions that require regular monitoring.
When embedded in garments, the sensor can provide a steady stream of biometric data to the healthcare professionals monitoring patient treatment.
The prototype sensor can communicate with a smartphone and could eventually be mass-produced by partners in China.
Several companies are already started experimenting with a similar technology like Forward which is distributing biometric sensors for at-home patient monitoring and Kinsa which uses sensor data to determine the potential indicator of COVID-19 spread.
3 KEY POINTS
“Wearable sensors embedded in clothing have been tried before, and even productized, but MIT’s version looks like the most wearable and least disruptive to the wearer in terms of convenience and comfort yet,” says Darrell Etherington, science editor at TechCrunch.
Article source: https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/23/mit-develops-machine-washable-sensors-that-embed-in-clothing-for-constant-vital-sign-monitoring/
#ClinicalDataManagement, #Sensors, #PatientMonitoring, #MIT
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