We measured the electrical activity signals of the heart through vital signs monitoring garments that have textile electrodes in conductive yarns while the subject is in stable and dynamic motion conditions. To measure the electrical activity signals of the heart during daily activities, four types of monitoring garment were proposed. Two experiments were carried out as follows: the first experiment sought to discover which garment led to the least displacement of the textile electrode from its originally intended location on the wearer's body. In the second, we measured and compared the electrical activity signals of the heart between the wearer's stable and dynamic motion states. The results indicated that the most appropriate type of garment sensing-wise was the "cross-type", and it seems to stabilize the electrode's position more effectively. The value of SNR of ECG signals for the "cross-type" garment is the highest. Compared to the "chest-belt-type" garment, which has already been marketed commercially, the "cross-type" garment was more efficient and suitable for heart activity monitoring.

Smart clothing is a sort of wearable device used for ubiquitous health monitoring. It provides comfort and efficiency in vital sign measurements and has been studied and developed in various types of monitoring platforms such as T-shirt and sports bra. However, despite these previous approaches, smart clothing for electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring has encountered a serious shortcoming relevant to motion artifacts caused by wearer movement. In effect, motion artifacts are one of the major problems in practical implementation of most wearable health-monitoring devices. In the ECG measurements collected by a garment, motion artifacts are usually caused by improper location of the electrode, leading to lack of contact between the electrode and skin with body motion. The aim of this study was to suggest a design for ECG-monitoring clothing contributing to reduction of motion artifacts. Based on the clothing science theory, it was assumed in this study that the stability of the electrode in a dynamic state differed depending on the electrode location in an ECG-monitoring garment. Founded on this assumption, effects of 56 electrode positions were determined by sectioning the surface of the garment into grids with 6 cm intervals in the front and back of the bodice. In order to determine the optimal locations of the ECG electrodes from the 56 positions, ECG measurements were collected from 10 participants at every electrode position in the garment while the wearer was in motion. The electrode locations indicating both an ECG measurement rate higher than 80.0 % and a large amplitude during motion were selected as the optimal electrode locations. The results of this analysis show four electrode locations with consistently higher ECG measurement rates and larger amplitudes amongst the 56 locations. These four locations were abstracted to be least affected by wearer movement in this research. Based on this result, a design of the garment-formed ECG monitoring platform reflecting the optimal positions of the electrode was suggested.

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: Due to recent changes in increased life expectancy, economic power and social development, the new senior generation (focusing on people in their fifties) represents a new market power with strong competitiveness. The new senior generation is the generation after the baby boomers, with characteristics that include a high-level of education, increased income, a high-level of consumption, increased assets, self-fulfillment desires and individuality. Demands in the senior fashion industry are expected to gradually increase and the underwear industry that targets the new senior generation is expected to grow rapidly. These demands will require product development for the new senior generation based on emotional and socio-cultural characteristics. The current new senior underwear market is under the process of R&D with a focus on body shape changes; however, there are limited studies on emotional and socio-cultural approaches. This study formulates a basic design plan for different age groups based on an analysis of the situation of bra wear (current inconveniences, demand and needs) by women in their fifties and over. Subsequently, a functional active bra top that considers activity and comfort was proposed for women in their fifties, an all-in-one foundation bra top that shapes the body was proposed for women in their sixties, and comfort bra tops that are comfortable and easy to put on and take off were proposed for women in their seventies and over.

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