Japan’s Toray launches ‘smart clothing’ that monitors electrocardiograms

According to the “Nihon Keizai Shimbun” report on September 29, Japan Toray, a chemical material company, and NTT, a communications operator, will jointly enter the medical field with the help of “smart clothing”. Smart clothing is made of fibers that can obtain living body information. Recently, a new material jointly developed by the two companies that can monitor the electrocardiogram for 24 hours and detect arrhythmia has been recognized as a medical device in Japan. The two companies will start selling special underwear using this material to hospitals from 2017. Regarding smart clothing, various related companies are competing to develop it, but it is the first time that it has been used as a medical device. It is estimated that the application development of new materials will accelerate in the future.

Japan’s Toray launched “smart clothing” that monitors electrocardiograms

Toray and NTT have been promoting joint development of new materials under the “hitoe” brand. The new material uses polyester resin permeated with electrified polymer resin to read weak electrical signals on the body surface. For products that monitor electrocardiograms, four hitoe-made electrodes are attached to special underwear.

By investing in the texture and sewing of specialized underwear, it will be possible to continuously measure the activity of the heart muscle. Generally, to be used in the medical field, it must meet Japanese national standards, and this new material has recently been registered as a medical device in Japan’s “Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA)”, an independent administrative entity under the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The agency determined that the new material has nearly the same level of precision as conventional electrocardiogram measurements.

Since it is registered as a medical device, wearing this kind of clothing for examination in Japan can be applied to medical insurance, and patients only need to pay the same medical expenses as before. It is expected to be used for continuous 24-hour monitoring of the electrocardiogram to check for irregular heartbeats. The electrodes are for one-time use, but the clothes can be washed and used repeatedly. The price will be discussed in the future, but it is expected to range from a few thousand yen to about 10,000 yen per piece. Previously, the detection of irregular heart rhythms required prolonged use of electrodes connected to the device by wires on the body. The metal of the electrodes may cause allergies to the body, causing a large burden on the patient.

Toray and NTT are ahead of their competitors in developing smart clothing, having partnered with Goldwin in 2014 to launch smart clothing that can measure heart rate. In August 2016, it also started to provide remote information services. Users can use smartphones and other places to monitor the health status of workers in factories and other places.

Regarding other companies, Teijin has teamed up with Kyoto University to develop a product that can measure the electrical activity of the heart by simply wrapping it around the chest when a patient is rushed to the hospital. Japanese material manufacturer Gunze is also working with NEC to develop underwear that can detect posture and burn calories. It has been difficult for major fiber manufacturers to achieve differentiation through functions such as heat preservation, breathability and deodorization effect. In the future, new products that help wearers’ health will be cultivated as a source of income.