New York, NY – 26 February 2008 – QIO Systems, the wearable electronics spin-out of Eleksen, has announced that it has agreed a joint sales and marketing agreement with Cotswold Industries.  Cotswold will resell QIO’s full line of accessory electronics designed for iPod and Bluetooth devices to apparel manufacturers worldwide.  Cotswold will also resell Eleksen’s ElekTex® touchpads directly to apparel customers worldwide.

In an emerging market populated with small, undercapitalised players, Cotswold brings a truly global capability to the wearable electronics market.  With a global logistics team already focused on providing millions of trim items each year to some of the globe’s top brands like Levi Strauss, The Gap, VF Corporation, Abercrombie & Fitch and others,  Cotswold has a proven reputation for delivery and world class customer service.

Under the agreement, Cotswold will resell ElekTex touchpads and QIO electronics to apparel brands and manufacturers for bundled (wholesale) and eSystem (directly to the retail) distribution for company retail locations. Cotswold will also provide worldwide integration support for its customers.  QIO Systems retains responsibility for marketing and brand awareness for the QIO solutions and the ElekTex touchpads.

 

Textronics, Inc. , a leader in the development of wearable sensors for fitness and health monitoring, has been awarded a patent (7,308,294 B2) for its textile-based electrode system by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Almost at the same time, Textronics received the clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its textile-based ECG Electrode for use in general electrocardiograph monitoring and recording procedures.

Textronics heart-sensing fabric offers a comfortable alternative to adhesive electrodes and metal wristbands that are commonly used with most ECG instruments on the market.

“Our heart rate monitoring fitness apparel has been worn by ultra-marathoners, Olympic athletes, college basketball players and even the Bionic woman,” said Textronics CEO Stacey Burr. “We are excited about the opportunity for textile electrodes to change the way people monitor their bodies for a wide range of health and fitness applications.”

 

RICHMOND, North Yorks., England – Peratech Limited, the leader in new materials designed for touch technology solutions, has announced its plan to license out its Eleksen consumer wearable’s business into QIO Systems.  Peratech purchased the Eleksen wearable’s business as part of its recent acquisition of the assets of Eleksen Group Plc.

As part of the deal, QIO Systems gains a worldwide exclusive licence to the intellectual property and design rights for the electronics and textile touchpads of Eleksen and for the manufacture and sale of ElekTex textile touchpads for use in both consumer and commercial applications.   In exchange, Peratech will take an equity shareholding in QIO Systems.

QIO Systems will also acquire the rights to Eleksen’s eSystem merchandising programs and will be launching eSystem electronics at retail in time for the Back-to-School ’08 and Fall/Winter’08 fashion seasons.   QIO Systems will be launching complete iPod control solutions and iPod-Bluetooth solutions in time to support outstanding customer demand.  The company plans to bring a comprehensive range of eSystem electronics for sale at retail by the end of Q1 2009.

“This deal sets QIO Systems on the path to success.  We’re committed to continuing Eleksen’s tradition of exceptional customer support and innovation in wearable electronics solutions,” remarked John Collins, President and CEO of QIO Systems, “It’s exhilarating to be back with the technology, relationships and customers we know so well.”

 

Danish Ohmatex , a pioneer in intelligent textile development, has won an EU contract for 50,000 Euro, to cover development of flexible socket connectors to advanced micro-sensors in professional protective clothing such as fire-fighting suits.

The development is a sub-contract to the European ProeTEX project that is an integrated research and development project under the EU 6th framework programme. The project has 23 partners and aims to develop new intelligent textile solutions for rescue services.

The contract is an extension of the development work that Ohmatex has carried out since its establishment in 2004, including amongst other things, development of conductive yarns , conductive textile cabling and elastics, and in particular integration and encapsulation of electronics in clothing. Ohmatex’ primary activities are customer specific developments.

Most recently, Ohmatex has helped Viking Life-Saving Equipment in Esbjerg, Denmark with development of the world’s first fire-fighters suit with integrated thermal sensor electronics . The “intelligent fire-suit” won the prestigious Danish Product Award 2007 in the electronics category.

Everyone who has worked with integration of electronic components into garments is aware that interconnection issues are currently one of the major challenges to commercial manufacture. With this contract, issues including washability, comfort (softness), safety and durability are now put into focus.