TITV and Textile Solutions Medicine Handout

The Institute for Special Textiles
and flexible Materials

Smart Textiles for Medical Applications
Please note the lock flag according to DIN ISO 16016
S. Hanus, D. Schwabe, A. Neudeck, U. Möhring

D. Zschenderlein
Company mission
„Smart textiles in Thueringen/Germany”
11./12.June 2012
Content
I. Background, Overview
II. Sensory Electrodes - EMG and ECG Monitoring
III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

Electrodes
IV. Active Heatable Textiles
V. 3D- Knitted Elastic Short Traction Bandages
VI. Embroidered Implants for Tissue Engineering
VII. Further Applications for Medical Textiles
VIII. Textiles for Light Therapy
IX. Summary & Outlook
Medical Textiles – Novel Functions
• Novel functional special textiles (resulting from the combination of

textile and non-textile technologies)
=> interesting alternative to use systems for medicine and
medicine technology
• Integration of new functions by special textile material
combinations
– Thermophysiological / wearing comfort
– Sweat transport
– Stress-strain behavior
• Integration of common electronics (sensors, amplifiers,
electronics) in textile materials
• Development of new textile based systems
– Sensoric
– Actuatoric systems
Medical Textiles – Working Areas of TITV Greiz
Medical Textiles or Textiles for

Medical Applications
Passive Systems Active Systems

• Antidecubitus systems • Sensory electrodes
• Compression bandages • Actuatory electrodes
• Textile implants • Heating systems
• Light therapy
(active medical product cl.2a)
Content

Electrodes
Electrodes for Therapeutically and Monitoring
Systems – Electronical Signals
Electrodes
Sensors Actuators
• Electromyogram –EMG • Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve
• Electrocardiogram -ECG
Stimulation - TENS
• Skin Resistance
• Electrical Muscle
• EEG… Stimulation - EMS
Problems – Skin contact electrodes
Problems:
• Long term stability of the electrical contact between

skin and electrode
 Contact impedance
• Displacement of the electrodes during movement
 Mechanical contact
• Real textile integration of the electrodes and
additional devices
 Comfort aspects
Solution – New Technologies
Two research areas at TITV Greiz

for textile electrodes
New materials & finishing Non contact electrodes

processes • Capacitive measuring
• Integration of electrolyte in principle
the textile • EMG/ECG monitoring
• Better contact impedance through textiles / clothing
between skin and electrode
for sensory electrodes
for actuatoric (sensory)

electrodes
Textile Based Sensory Electrodes
• Woven belt with

integrated textile ECG-
electrodes
• Embroidered EEG-
electrodes
EU-STREP 027291
Contactless Sensors for Body Monitoring

Incorporated in Textiles
• Contactless measuring of EMG, ECG
• Development of textile (based) sensors
• Incorporation of contactless (without skin contact) sensors
into textiles by weaving, enmbroidery, printing, laminating

• Continuous / long term monitoring
• Studying measuring of mental stress by EMG (algorithms)
• to be used by untrained individuals
• Development of the ConText prototype
• Development of the application concepts for the ConText
technology
Vest with integrated contactless EMG

sensors (M. Trapecius)
textile layers / insulation
conductive layers,
capacitor
Sensor K 7
11
Contactless EMG Sensor – Actual Prototype
laminated sensor
(Clothing+, TUB)
electronics with
encapsulation (TUB)
woven bus structure

(TITV)
Automotive applications
Electrodes / sensors for ECG / EMG measuring

Integration in steering
wheel for measuring body

signals
Source: Project Insitex (Daimler)

Automotive applications
Contact less measuring for

recording of stress
• Integration in seats
Content

Electrodes
Electrodes for Therapeutically and Monitoring
Systems – Electronical Signals
Electrodes
Sensors Actuators
• Electromyogram –EMG • Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve
• Electrocardiogram -ECG
Stimulation - TENS
• Skin Resistance
• Electrical Muscle
• EEG… Stimulation - EMS
Actuatory Applications I
Stimulation of nerves and muscles be surface electrodes

• e. g. physical therapy, sports, wellness, pain treatment
• but: placement / displacement (moving, sweat) of electrodes

difficult => home use, long term applications
• fixation by elastic bandages
• wires reduce the comfort of the wearer
Sources: 1) Bio-Medical Research GmbH neurotech, 2) Cefar-Compex Scandinavia AB

Integration in an elastic Bandage – 1st Prototype
• Elastic bandage with velcro strip

• Active area: 45 x 45 mm
Experiments with Test Persons
Test person with textile and glued

electrodes
First Tests at the University Hospital of Jena, Germany
Experiments at the insitute of physical therapy

• Comparison of textile and glued electrodes (left + right
thigh)
• Test parameters:
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation - TENS
• Electrical Muscle Stimulation – EMS
• Electromyogram as biofeedback
• Registration of skin resistance, skin temperature
• Subjective impression of the test persons
• 25 test persons
• Defined test conditions
Applications
• Sports & wellness, additional training

• Long-term therapy
=> washable electrode systems, easy to use

• Muscle training after surgery of the joints
knee, elbow, etc.
• Pain-treatment (TENS) by integration of the electrodes
in clothing
• Incontinence therapy
Content

Electrodes
Textile Solutions for Medical Thermal
Therapy and Prophylaxis
• Development of heat able woven

structures
• Integration of heating wires /

thread by embroidery
• Convective operation heating

systems with integrated 3D
structure for decubitus
prophylaxis
(our partner: Moeck & Moeck GmbH)
• Development of fluidic cooling

systems
warmX GmbH
Active Heatable Textiles
• Smart 3D fabric compounds

• Use of conductive metal coated polymer yarns and

carbon yarns
• Crimp of the yarns into the pole area between the
surfaces
• Yarn density adjustable to application (size of the
pads, required temperature, etc.)
• Electrical contacting via embroidery
• Highly flexible
Active heating bandage
• Low weight
Heating pad (high flexible, low

weight, air conductive)
Fluidic Heating & Cooling System
Active heating and cooling system

Kröhnert System
Our partner:
Kröhnert Chilling & Heating
Content

Electrodes
3D Spacer Fabrics at TITV
Medical Textiles made by

3D - Spacer Fabrics
(Examples) :
- Compression Bandages
- Mattresses
- Wheelchairseat
- Prosthesis-pad in bras
- Hip protectors
- Medical Shoe Inlay / Soles
3D Spacer Fabrics
Special properties of spacer fabrics

• Good press elastic behaviour

depending of the construction
• Dissipation of moisture
from one textile surface to the
other surface through the distance zone
• Air circulation / temperature regulation or isolation by the
distance zone
• Flexibility through the mesh structure
• Very good physiological behaviour / comfort
• Recyclable and asepticable
29
Complex Anti-Congestion Therapy
• By manual lymph drainage, stimulating

the whole system and supporting the
necessary outflow of excess body fluid

– Bandaging (compression therapy)
as flanking action of the manual
lymph drainage, to prevent the re-
accumulation of edema fluid
– Compression stockings for the
conservation and optimization of the
therapy success
• Important is the patient’s acceptance for
the enacted arrangements to integrate Primary lymph edema
the different methods of treatment into Source: vasomed 1/ 92
the patient’s everyday life!

3D- Knitted Elastic Short Traction Bandages
Requirements to 3D-compression bandages

• Figuration of a soft, eudermic, not too smooth surface
• Defined transport of moisture away from the skin

• Stabile construction of the distance-keeping
zone in the spacer fabric
• Defined elongation accordingly a
short traction bandage as well as
construction of a limited
transverse elongation for a
better winding
especially in the joint areas
• Defined widths (8,10,12 cm)
• Knitted, flattened edges
31
Textile-based hip protection pads
Construction:
• Sandwich-structure, consisting of shock-absorbing foam

in combination with spacer fabrics
• Use of foams from the field of orthopaedics technology
for maximum shock-absorption
Content

Electrodes
Embroidered Implants for Tissue Engineering
Tissue engineering: replacement of body tissue by artificial or bred

human tissue
• Three dimensional textile based implant constructions like

scaffolds and patch grafts for the tissue engineering
• Principle of chemical embroidery => it is possible to create
individual and application-related scaffolds and patch grafts
Example: Embroidered
scaffold construction in a
ten-layer construction with
biocompatible yarns
national funded project AIF 15136 BG

Content

Electrodes
Further Applications for Medical Textiles I
• Special socks for

diabetics
• Optimal positions of
sewings
• Avoid pressure peaks by
using special materials
• Perfect fit
• No folds
• Attractive optic
• Antimicrobiel effect with
silver
Further Applications for Medical Textiles II
• Special orthesis with

integrated knee ankle

measuring and biofeedback
system
• Operation table cover made

by 3D Spacer Fabrics
Content

Electrodes
Textiles for Light Therapy
Platform for Large Area Conformable Electronics by

Integration – PLACE-it
www.place-it-project.eu
„Bilirubin blanket“
• Treatment of Jaundice
• Blue light (weave lenght: 460 nm)
Quelle: Philips (NL) - Innovation Experience 2011

• Blue Touch Pain Relief Patch

• Stimulation of NO production for pain treatment
• Medical product class 2a

Source: Innovation expirience 2011 / Philips Electronics N.V. (NL)
Content

Electrodes
VIII.Textiles for Light Therapy
Summary & Outlook
• Textile materials allow a wide range of medical

(prevention, diagnostics, therapy) application by the
combination of functional material and new

technologies
• Advantages of textiles (wearing comfort, breathability,
“easy to handle”, look, etc.) in combination with
medical requirements
• TITV Greiz works on the development of passive and

active medical textiles together with industrial,
academic and medical partner
Thank You for Your Attention!
Textile Research Institute

Thuringia – Vogtland e. V.
Zeulenrodaer Straße 42
07973 Greiz
Phone : +49 (0) 3661 – 611 0
Fax : +49 (0) 3661 – 611 222
mail@titv-greiz.de
www.titv-greiz.de
Contact:
Dirk Zschenderlein
Phone: +49 3661 611 203
d.zschenderlein@titv-greiz.de
The Institute for Special Textiles and Flexible Materials

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The Institute for Special Textiles

and flexible Materials

S. Hanus, D. Schwabe, A. Neudeck, U. Möhring

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

• Novel functional special textiles (resulting from the combination of

Medical Textiles or Textiles for

Passive Systems Active Systems

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

• Long term stability of the electrical contact between

Two research areas at TITV Greiz

for textile electrodes

New materials & finishing Non contact electrodes

for actuatoric (sensory)

• Woven belt with

Contactless Sensors for Body Monitoring

into textiles by weaving, enmbroidery, printing, laminating

Vest with integrated contactless EMG

textile layers / insulation

woven bus structure

Electrodes / sensors for ECG / EMG measuring

wheel for measuring body

Source: Project Insitex (Daimler)

Contact less measuring for

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

Stimulation of nerves and muscles be surface electrodes

• but: placement / displacement (moving, sweat) of electrodes

Sources: 1) Bio-Medical Research GmbH neurotech, 2) Cefar-Compex Scandinavia AB

• Elastic bandage with velcro strip

Test person with textile and glued

Experiments at the insitute of physical therapy

• Sports & wellness, additional training

=> washable electrode systems, easy to use

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

• Development of heat able woven

• Integration of heating wires /

• Convective operation heating

• Development of fluidic cooling

• Smart 3D fabric compounds

• Use of conductive metal coated polymer yarns and

Heating pad (high flexible, low

Active heating and cooling system

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

Medical Textiles made by

Special properties of spacer fabrics

• Good press elastic behaviour

• By manual lymph drainage, stimulating

necessary outflow of excess body fluid

the patient’s everyday life!

Requirements to 3D-compression bandages

• Defined transport of moisture away from the skin

• Sandwich-structure, consisting of shock-absorbing foam

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

Tissue engineering: replacement of body tissue by artificial or bred

• Three dimensional textile based implant constructions like

national funded project AIF 15136 BG

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

• Special socks for

• Special orthesis with

integrated knee ankle

• Operation table cover made

III. Actuatory Electrodes - Therapeutical textile

Platform for Large Area Conformable Electronics by

• Blue light (weave lenght: 460 nm)

Quelle: Philips (NL) - Innovation Experience 2011