DuPont Advanced Materials recently unveiled its latest generation of stretchable electronic inks and films for smart clothing under the moniker of Intexar smart clothing technology. According to its maker, Intexar technology transforms ordinary fabrics into active, connected, intelligent garments that collect biometric data including heart rate, breathing rate, form awareness, and muscle tension. Also as per DuPont, it offers superior stretch and comfort and easily integrates into existing garments to make smart clothing. Sort of like getting an MBA for your old clothes.
Available as a suite of premium and high-performing stretchable electronic inks and flexible substrates, Intexar is seamlessly embedded directly onto fabric using standard apparel manufacturing processes to create thin, form-fitting circuits. Garments powered by Intexar can endure over 100 washes, and continue to perform through repeated stretching and demanding performance.
According to Michael Burrows, global business manager, DuPont Advanced Materials, “Every athlete, from professional to everyday, can benefit from smart clothing to help boost their performance, but it has to look good and feel good. Intexar is a game-changing technology and will truly move the needle in making smart garments as comfortable as regular fitness clothing.”
DuPont featured two smart clothing garments powered by Intexar technology at Outdoor Retailer, a rather large and respected outdoor apparel tradeshow. Body Plus displayed a smart fitness shirt commercially available in China that uses Intexar for real-time monitoring and data collection of heart rate, breathing, and muscle movements. OMsignal displayed two products: a high-end fitness sports bra and a comfortable lifestyle bra, both employing advanced sensory technologies capturing real time ECG, respiration, and physical activity.
If this piques your curiosity, checkout a video demo and visit the DuPont Intexar webpage. You can download a datasheet and also visit the company’s website for even more details. Question about smart technology, would you wear clothing that’s smarter than you? ~MD