These wearable sensors could one day make your clothes smarter

Smart clothing is generally fairly niche, in part because it’s often not overly useful, but pack the right tech into a garment and that could change, and some newly developed sensors could help with that.

Phys.org reports that the sensor, developed by Yoshiro Tajitsu of Kansai University in Japan and Teijin Limited, are piezoelectric (that is, able to convert mechanical signals into electrical signals) braided cords that could be used in fashion, sports apparel, interior design and healthcare.

The sensors can respond to most movements, such as bending or twisting, and they could be used for a number of things, such as triggering a smartphone to take a selfie or, if worn as part of a necklace, monitoring your pulse rate.

These braided cord sensors could be added to clothes. Credit: Kansai University

These braided cord sensors could be added to clothes. Credit: Kansai University

Fashionable as well as functional

The braided cord design won’t be suitable for all clothing types, but it sounds fairly versatile, having been implemented into Japanese kimonos and shoelaces, and the people behind it say they’re also working with fashion designers in France and Italy to incorporate the cords into more clothes.

No timescale has been given for when we might start to see commercially available products with these cords, but if they can be integrated seamlessly into clothing – and offer enough useful functionality – they could be an appealing alternative to a basic health or fitness tracker.

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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