E-textiles to Empower Ageing Communities

Recent advances have facilitated the development of electronic textiles (E- textiles) with the capacity to monitor physiological parameters and to alert users to emerging problems, such as an elevated heart rate. These technologies have a great potential to empower ageing communities and support independent living for individuals. This can be achieving by collecting data regarding changes to their health which can be used by the professionals who care for them, allowing them to live at home safely for longer.  

Practice-based PhD enquires are invited from fashion and/or textile designers to explore the potential of E-textiles through the creative exploration and human centred design approaches to create garments, accessories, or objects which will capture and communicate sensory data. The research will have a strong focus on considerations of human needs for identity, comfort, and aesthetics.  

Research activities could include understanding how people’s attitudes, habits and preferences in relation to clothing could inform the development of ‘wearable’ medical, assistive, and monitoring devices. It could also include examining perceptions of technology and clothing in terms of meaning, functionality, durability, and performance expectations. 

This project will be hosted by the Fashion and Textile Research Centre, which is home to the Advanced Textile Research Group, who are world leading innovators in the field of E-textile, as well as fashion and textile researchers and practitioners.