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.”

 

Textronics has commercialized this invention in its NuMetrex line of heart rate monitoring fitness apparel, including the NuMetrex Heart Sensing Sports Bra, Heart Sensing Racer Tank, and Cardio Shirt for Men.

NuMetrex garments replace the cumbersome heart rate monitoring chest straps that tend to chafe, slip and loosen during workouts. They are constructed of an advanced wicking fabric with conductive sensing fibers integrated into the chest band area of the shirt or sports bra.

With the FDA clearance, Textronics can now enter the health care market by bring this ECG electrode technology to the health care market, where advances in technology enable people to monitor their biofeedback from the comfort of their own homes.

The textile electrode garments, straps and wristbands are machine washable and reusable and can be used for a wide range of ECG monitoring and recording applications, including cardiac event recorders, stress testing, Holter monitoring, trans-telephonic pacemaker monitors, and respiration sensing devices.

Source: Textronics press releases for Patent award and FDA clearance