Innovation in Smart Textiles Moves from Materials to Analytics

Wearable electronics are moving beyond wrist worn devices into other forms of apparel that collect data, analyze it, and act on the insight. In this report, we explore how smart apparel is made smart via various means of sensor integration. Smart apparel can have sensors incorporated via weaving, printing or integration of standalone sensors, that will lead to varying levels of obtrusiveness, sensor function, flexibility, and washability,. While the sensor integration may vary, the subsequent development steps remain the same, with capabilities mostly limited by removable clips. Most devices currently on the market have removable electronic clips that cannot be washed. Future innovations will more seamlessly integrate these components via printing and weaving rather than attaching standalone sensors. While the current innovation is occurring in hardware, future innovation will move beyond the hardware to the analytics and future focus will be more around the value that the device provides to the user.