There\u2019s a theory hanging around\nthat smart shirts may\nsomeday replace traditional laboratory equipment to measure lung function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, professional and amateur athletes already know about smart shirts. Hexoskin,1<\/sup> the self-proclaimed creator of the world\u2019s first biometric smart shirt, describes their garment as sensor-embedded to allow real time monitoring and recording of heart rate, breathing volume, breathing rate, activity intensity level, and sleep vitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s regarded by\nmany as a sweet alternative to heart rate monitors. The fact that data is sent\nand stored in secure apps \u2013 for athletes and trainers to review \u2013 is a nice\nbenefit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Smart shirt technology recently went off-label \u2013 or we should say off track and field \u2013 to see if the garment might benefit those with COPD or other respiratory conditions. During the September 2019 European Respiratory Society International Congress, in Madrid, Spain, Denise Mann\u00e9e, a technical physician and PhD candidate at Radboud University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, presented Tidal Volumes During Tasks of Daily Living Measured With a Smart Shirt.2<\/sup> \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the presentation, 15 healthy persons \u2013\nwithout a respiratory disease \u2013 donned a smart shirt as well as traditional\nmonitoring equipment that included a backpack and facemask. Participants moved\nthrough a range of everyday activities in order to measure lung and abdomen function. Smart shirt and\ntraditional equipment measurements were darn near identical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These results spurred researchers on. They are now testing smart shirts to monitor patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If the concept works, a smart shirt would provide an accurate and more practical alternative to measure lung function. Even more important, doctors may soon be able to monitor patients remotely, which would allow physicians to possibly identify early signs that a patient\u2019s COPD condition is worsening3<\/sup> Remote monitoring may also help track and test potential benefits of experimental treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Mann\u00e9e explains, COPD symptoms first occur during\ndaily activities, like climbing stairs and housework, although respiration is\nhard to monitor in these instances. \u201c(Monitoring) is traditionally done in the\nclinic with equipment such as an exercise bike, facemask, and computer. The\nequipment is not very practical for measuring everyday activity.\u201d3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few kinks in the system, mostly revolving around smart shirt recalibrations. But the concept itself is attracting a fair amount of attention \u2013 from physicians as well as those diagnosed with respiratory conditions.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Hexoskin, & Carre Technologies inc. (n.d.). Hexoskin Smart Shirts – Cardiac, Respiratory, Sleep & Activity Metrics<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n