The idea of a watch or wristband with the capacity to track fitness enthusiasts' cardio and respiratory rates is nothing new. However, recent advances have put tech in the textile.
Smart clothing is the latest craze among young technology companies like OMsignal, whose new line of T-shirts boasts sensors woven directly into the fabric.
The T-shirts are not only able to process the usual vital-sign data during a workout; they also connect the user to the internet. The user's exercise statistics are relayed through the sensors to a small black box, clipped onto the product. From there, the data transmits to a smartphone via Bluetooth.
Company co-founder Stéphane Marceau says the new generation of fitness enthusiasts is information-hungry.
"The first cars were completely blind. Then you had a gas gauge. Then a speedometer. Now, you can't imagine a car without these things," he said. "Smart clothing is starting to do the same thing for the human body."
OMsignal's T-shirts cost $80 and the necessary module costs $120. The company is currently accepting pre-orders to be shipped this summer.
Despite high costs, the fabric also claims to be moisture-wicking and anti-microbial. Intended for a tight fit, the product enhances oxygen distribution to the muscles and increases blood flow, according to the company, which also said the shirt has additional slimming and posture support benefits but did not expand on how it works.
OMsignal is part of a growing group of innovative companies, which include laboratories like Cityzin Sciences based in Lyon, France.
Creation of a smart bra with technology similar to OMsignal's T-shirts is underway at San Francisco-based Sensilk.
Computerized clothing may soon be on the front lines, as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency looks to develop training and battle tools for soldiers.
