Electronic clothing enhances quality of life

Researchers at the University of Ulster Computer Science Research Institute are investigating how high tech clothing could help older people to live more productive and active lifestyles according to a report from the BBC.

The research is being funded by the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme and assisted by teams from several UK universities.

The aim is to enable older people who have health problems to live independently whilst having their healthcare monitored and lifestyle improved. The new hi-tech clothing works by having incorporated into it various electronic devices that give out information about the wearer's health and could even provide bus timetable information.

Different groups of researchers will share and pool information such as sensor technologies, data fusion and intelligent data analysis.

Dr Eric Wallace, director of the Sport and Exercise Research Institute said that the team were making good progress in investigating active lifestyles.

Dr Wallace said: "Essentially, once the data on the movements of older people is recorded, it is then passed to SESRI and we will make sense of it in a lifestyle capacity. This information can then in turn be used by those developing the garments, to understand better the most effective usage of the technology in the clothing."

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