Abstract-Textile-based sensors offer an unobtrusive method of continually monitoring physiological parameters during daily activities. Chemical analysis of body fluids, noninvasively, is a novel and exciting area of personalized wearable healthcare systems. BIOTEX was an EU-funded project that aimed to develop textile sensors to measure physiological parameters and the chemical composition of body fluids, with a particular interest in sweat. A wearable sensing system has been developed that integrates a textile-based fluid handling system for sample collection and transport with a number of sensors including sodium, conductivity, and pH sensors. Sensors for sweat rate, ECG, respiration, and blood oxygenation were also developed. For the first time, it has been possible to monitor a number of physiological parameters together with sweat composition in real time. This has been carried out via a network of wearable sensors distributed around the body of a subject user. This has huge implications for the field of sports and human performance and opens a whole new field of research in the clinical setting. F. Di Francesco is with the Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56126, Italy (e-mail: fdifra@dcci.unipi.it).D. Costanzo and M. G. Trivella are with the Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa 56100, Italy (e-mail: costanzo.daniele@ libero.it; trivella@ifc.cnr.it).P. Salvo and D. E. De Rossi are with the Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "E. Piaggio," Università di Pisa 56100, Italy (e-mail: psalvo@ifc.cnr.it; d.derossi@ing.unipi.it).N. Taccini and R. Paradiso are with Smartex s.r

The clinical demand for a device to monitor blood pressure (BP) in ambulatory scenarios with minimal use of inflation cuffs is increasing. Based on the so-called pulse wave velocity (PWV) principle, this paper introduces and evaluates a novel concept of BP monitor that can be fully integrated within a chest sensor. After a preliminary calibration, the sensor provides nonocclusive beat-by-beat estimations of mean arterial pressure (MAP) by measuring the pulse transit time (PTT) of arterial pressure pulses travelling from the ascending aorta toward the subcutaneous vasculature of the chest. In a cohort of 15 healthy male subjects, a total of 462 simultaneous readings consisting of reference MAP and chest PTT were acquired. Each subject was recorded at three different days: D, D+3, and D+14. Overall, the implemented protocol induced MAP values to range from 80 ± 6 mmHg in baseline, to 107 ± 9 mmHg during isometric handgrip maneuvers. Agreement between reference and chest-sensor MAP values was tested by using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.78) and Bland-Altman analysis (mean error = 0.7 mmHg, standard deviation = 5.1 mmHg). The cumulative percentage of MAP values provided by the chest sensor falling within a range of ±5 mmHg compared to reference MAP readings was of 70%, within ±10 mmHg was of 91%, and within ±15 mmHg was of 98%. These results point at the fact that the chest sensor complies with the British Hypertension Society requirements of Grade A BP monitors, when applied to MAP readings. Grade A performance was maintained even two weeks after having performed the initial subject-dependent calibration. In conclusion, this paper introduces a sensor and a calibration strategy to perform MAP measurements at the chest. The encouraging performance of the presented technique paves the way toward an ambulatory compliant, continuous, and nonocclusive BP monitoring system.

Abstract-Sweat analysis can provide a valuable insight into a person's well-being. Here we present wearable textile-based sensors that can provide real-time information regarding sweat activity. A pH sensitive dye incorporated into a fabric fluidic system is used to determine sweat pH. To detect the onset of sweat activity a sweat rate sensor is incorporated into a textile substrate. The sensors are integrated into a waistband and controlled by a central unit with wireless connectivity. The use of such sensors for sweat analysis may provide valuable physiological information for applications in sports performance and also in healthcare.

No abstract

LTMS-S is a new wearable system for the monitoring of several physiological signals--including a two-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)--and parameters, such as the heart rate, the breathing rate, the peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), the core body temperature (CBT), and the physical activity. All signals are measured using only three sensors embedded within a vest. The sensors are standalone with their own rechargeable battery, memory, wireless communication and with an autonomy exceeding 24 hours. This paper presents the results of the clinical validation of the LTMS-S system.