University research team wants to make cycling apparel smart
02/05/2012
Carbon nanotubes are at the core of the idea; their use in garment construction can give a garment the capacity to turn information about what is happening to the wearer’s body into electronic signals for a support team or the wearer to have real-time analysis of the condition of athletes’ bodies.
Francisco Andrade, part of a research team at the univeristy, has said he believes the development could be of particular interest to makers of high-end cycling apparel. Cyclists could have a clear indication of how much fluid to take on board at a particular point in a race to become rehydrated, or the point at which their bodies were moving from an aerobic to an anaerobic state (which is to say the point at which their systems need oxygen).
Francisco Andrade, who wants to carry on his research in the US, has said he believes soaking textiles in a solution with the carbon nanotubes will provide a quick and cheap method for making smart clothing of this type. He believes there could easily be garments with this type of capability on the market within four years.
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