United kingdom Daily news: E-bra that will tell you if you're ill and warn your doctor

Jumat, 04 Mei 2012

E-bra that will tell you if you're ill and warn your doctor

E-bra that will tell you if you're ill and warn your doctor

The system can take the same readings as an ECG and tell if a patient is having a heart attack

By Claire Bates

PUBLISHED: 10:51 EST, 4 May 2012 | UPDATED: 11:07 EST, 4 May 2012

The e-bra could be used to monitor female patients with heart problems as well as athletes

Scientists have created an 'e-bra' that could help doctors monitor sick female patients anywhere in the world.

The bra has integrated sensors that measures vital health signals and uploads the information to a wireless network such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which the patient and their doctor can then access.

It was developed by a team of engineers at the University of Arkansas who combined nanotextiles and smartphone technology. They also created an e-vest for male patients.

Researcher Vijay Varadan said: 'Our e-bra enables continuous, real-time monitoring to identify any pathophysiological changes.

'It is a platform on which various sensors for cardiac-health monitoring are integrated into the fabric. The garment collects and transmits vital health signals to any desired location in the world.'

The system monitors blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption and some neural activity.

It also takes the same readings as a conventional electrocardiograph (ECG), and so can even tell if a patient is having a heart attack.

The system doesn't require a cuff or any extra accessories to measure blood pressure and could therefore replace conventional blood-pressure monitors.

The bra and vest have bendy sensors woven into the fabric that are stored on a wireless module which then sends it to a mobile or computer

It could also replace the cumbersome combination of ECG sensors and wires attached to patients while they walk on treadmills.

The sensors are smaller than a 5p or dime and are made of arrays of gold nano-electrodes fabricated on to a flexible base, they are woven in to the bra material. They communicate with system software via a wireless module that snaps on to the bra. This collects and compresses the information before sending it over a network to a secure database, that doctors can then access.

Electronic engineer: Vijay Varadan said the bra could provide continuous real-time health monitoring

The data can be viewed on one screen or separate windows for each measurement. The software includes GPS that can track the patient anywhere in the world.

The researchers say they expect to reduce the size of the current module to a box 1.5in long, 0.7in wide and 0.25in deep.

The team said the sports bra could also be used by athletes to monitor their own vitals during exercise sessions via their mobile phones.

The system can also be programmed to send emergency messages, via voice or text messaging, if it detects extreme or abnormal conditions.

Mr Varadan is yet to publish his e-bra findings but results from the sensor system have been published in the Journal of Nanotechnology in Engineering and Medicine.Â