A nice IEEE Spectrum article on the rise and rise of smart clothing. Actually the article is OK, but it’s really the retro graphic which I love!

But more seriously, a very cool featured application from Sensatex is the SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) suit ‘ that detects when a child stops breathing and sends an alarm.

Sensatex SmarTextile technology is apparently a method of integrating biometric devices into fabric in order to monitor your body’s vital signs.

The company markets a product called the SmartShirt (‘the shirt that thinks’) which monitors heart rate, respiration, body temp and a host of other things you probably would do better not knowing about. Unless you are an athlete of course.

One of the neat features of the technology is that it can be incorporated into any fabric ranging from silk to wool, and I suppose that this kind of thing is perfect for tele medicine, where you can implement remote medical monitoring of patients. As long as the price is right.