Researchers from the Université Laval in Canada have developed a novel respiration sensor built into a cotton t-shirt, with hopes that future versions could allow hospital patients to be comfortably monitored while free to be mobile.
The sensor is composed of multi-material fibers arranged in the form of a spiral antenna, which monitors changes in antenna geometry due to chest expansion and the displacement of the air volume in the lungs, according to the developers.
The device can also connect to short-range wireless communication devices, allowing for remote monitoring of respiration, according to a study published in the journal Sensors.
The shirt, and its attached sensor, do not require any sort of physical electrode, or even direct contact between the fiber to monitor respiration.
Future work on the sensor will include adapting the technology to newborn infants, according to the study in Sensors.
