Hexoskin” to be tested on COPD patients

Researchers have designed what they are calling a “hexoskin”, a smart shirt that senses how its fabric stretches when the wearer’s chest expands and contracts, and measures the capacity of inhaled and exhaled air, and heart rate. They started by using the smart shirt in conjunction with an app to assess 15 healthy volunteers undertaking their normal daily routine, comparing results from the smart shirt with those from traditional testing equipment. The smart shirt was accurate when measurements from the two techniques were compared, and the volunteers reported that the shirts were comfortable and could be worn underneath their normal clothes. The researchers now want to test the shirt on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with doctors monitoring for early signs of deterioration in their condition.
Denise Mannée, a technical physician and PhD candidate at Radboud University Medical Centre, Holland, said: “COPD is a growing problem with around 64 million people suffering with the condition worldwide. When patients suffer an increase in their symptoms, such as coughing and breathlessness, they need to be monitored more closely. Symptoms first occur during daily activities like climbing stairs and housework, but respiration is hard to monitor in such conditions. This is traditionally done in the clinic with equipment such as an exercise bike, facemask and computer. The equipment is not very practical for measuring everyday activity. Smart shirts are already available, but they tend to be used by professional or amateur sportsmen and women. We wanted to see whether a smart shirt could provide an accurate and more practical alternative for measuring lung function. These results are important because they indicate that the smart shirt can be worn by patients while they go about their daily lives to accurately measure their lung function. Ultimately, we want to improve patients’ quality of life. If we can accurately monitor patients’ symptoms while they go about their normal activities, we might be able to spot problems and treat them sooner, and this in turn could mean less time in hospital.”