The best thing about being in the UK is the access to really , really world class research . I mean just amazing !
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Footfalls data analytics can be read using a mobile phone app
INTELLIGENT TEXTILES The core technology being developed by Footfalls is a stretchable , wearable knitted textile able to measure compressive and tensile forces . Unlike woven fabrics , knitting forms over almost any organic shape . A good illustration of this is the difference in a fitted , knitted T-shirt and a woven business shirt .
" You can knit our smart textile on any knitting machine , anywhere and you can get a variety of useful data from the pressure sensors . At Nottingham , we use
Medical compression therapy uses bandages to treat venous leg ulcers . Footfalls delivers measureable compression in real-time
machines to knit plastic fibre optics into the structure of the intelligent textile for even more functionality ," said Simon .
Data gathered by the intelligent textile is transferred by Bluetooth or collected onto a flash drive or sim card for analysis . The current data module allows wireless real-time monitoring and is detachable so the wearable textile can be washed . Future adaptations will be capable of measuring tissue health , blood oxygen , relative humidity , and absolute pressure , as well as detection of proteins and gases .
The current focus is on clinical applications . Real time compressive force data can be used in gait analysis and contact sports , while tensile force can be used to measure respiration rate and joint angles applied during rehabilitation from injury and stroke .
Medical compression therapy uses bandages to treat venous leg ulcers . Studies show that even when applied by trained nurses , 73 per cent of bandages deliver incorrect compression . Woven into a sock , Footfalls ' technology provides a simple solution with the knitted resistive sensor delivering measurable compressive force therapy . ■
Industrial Revolution
Granger Historical Picture Archive / Alamy Stock Photo
Reverand William Lee ( 1563-1614 ) was born in Calverton , Nottinghamshire , where he became a curate following graduation from Cambridge University . In 1589 , he invented the first stocking frame knitting machine . Rumour suggests his incentives were either to impress a woman with more interest in knitting than him , or because his wife was a slow knitter . His machine ’ s principle of operation remains in use today . Simon said , " It seems beautifully cyclical to bring machine knitting technology back to the city where machine knitting was invented ."
Read online at : ukspa . org . uk / breakthrough spring 2017 | UKSPA breakthrough | 77