For more than a decade now, a bright promise in apparel has loomed just over the horizon. Smart clothes with sensors and next-generation textiles could transform our wardrobes into health-tracking garments.
These ideas haven’t just come from startups. Even companies like Levi’s and Under Armour have floated the idea of jackets that offer touch control shortcuts and workout gear that would track your movement and vitals while you go about your day. But these promises haven’t quite turned into a successful reality. Though researchers have gotten better at weaving sensors and circuitry into clothes, smart textiles aren’t as durable or waterproof as regular clothes and they need to constantly touch your skin to work.
