**4.2 Conductive textiles**

A conductive textile can be defined as a fabric which is made from the strands of a metal that are woven, blended, or coated during the creation of the textile. Conductive metals such as silver, titanium, gold, nickel, and carbon are utilized by the textile. Conductive textiles inhabit the property that it can conduct electricity and thus is used in several applications by different end-use industries. The primary function of the conductive textile is controlling the static electricity and protecting from the electromagnetic interference. Based on type, the woven textile segment has significant growth during the forecast period. Woven textiles are widely utilized by various end-use industries such as military and defense, healthcare, and sports and fitness. As these textiles offer high standard performance in shielding and conductivity, they are considered to be the preferred type of conductive textiles utilized across the globe, thereby boosting the growth of the woven textile segment [14].

**Figure 2.** *Laser-printed waterproof and stretchable e-fabric.*

### **4.3 Medical smart textile as a cardiac supporting device**

Knitted and woven fabrics are being used as a cardiac supporting device. An innovative medical device has been made by using the knitted and woven fabrics, which corrects the life-threatening conditions of the heart and vascular system. Implantation of the new devices requires less invasive surgical procedures and involves less risk than traditional procedures, while also causing fewer complications in hospital days. Heart failure is a chronic syndrome that occurs when the heart is not getting enough amount of blood. Generally, valve leakage is reliable for this. The treatment of heart failure is only the drug therapies and surgical, but they are temporary treatment. The only permanent treatment is a heart transplant. But most of the patients cannot qualify for heart transplantation. So they have to do the surgical treatment or drug therapy.

So the scientists have developed a device named as a cardiac support device (CSD), which is intended to halt the progression of heart failure. The cardiac support device (CSD) research was conducted to determine the best material, yarn configuration, knit pattern, and processing to use to produce CSD fabric. It is a mesh-like warp knitted fabric. The fabric is fabricated from the multifilament texture (**Figure 3**).

Polyester fabric is used for it. Polyester fabric has biological tissue response and it has the compatibility for the epicardial surface of the heart. The polyester yarns are warp knitted into a mesh configuration using a variation of an atlas stitch. After knitting, the fabric is conditioned to ease its handling during the processing to manufacture the CSD [9].

#### **4.4 Smart clothing with improved comfort and safety for firefighters**

Temperature is a major challenge in numerous professions—thermal comfort and occupational safety. For example, in emergency missions of fire and rescue services as well as in mines and construction sites, the working conditions often cause extreme physical strain (**Figure 4**).

Working in hot situations without wearing appropriate protective clothing and equipment often causes high heat stress. It will be perfect if the amount of such stress could be monitored in real time during the performance of different work tasks. To solve this, researchers and companies together developed a wearable technology solution for firefighters. It allows the real-time monitoring of heat stress, thus improving the occupational health and safety in challenging temperatures.

**253**

**Figure 4.**

*Smart E-Textile Materials*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92439*

The new method has been tested at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Oulu and at the Emergency Services College in Kuopio. Based on the first tests, it would seem to offer a very promising tool for commanding rescue missions and

Graphene has already made a huge blast in the next step of wearable technology. Due to the thermal conductive properties of graphene, the warmth produced by the human body is preserved and distributed evenly in cold climates and allows an even

A renowned company Directa Plus, a producer and supplier of graphenebased products, teamed up with Colmar, the high-end sportswear company, has launched a new collection of SKI jackets containing graphene-based products.

enhancing the occupational health and safety of firefighters [10–12].

**4.5 Graphene-based smart textiles**

*Medical textiles working as a cardiac support device.*

**Figure 3.**

body temperature during physical activity.

*Smart clothing, adjusting the heating control autonomously.*

*Advanced Functional Materials*

**Figure 2.**

**4.3 Medical smart textile as a cardiac supporting device**

surgical treatment or drug therapy.

*Laser-printed waterproof and stretchable e-fabric.*

manufacture the CSD [9].

cause extreme physical strain (**Figure 4**).

Knitted and woven fabrics are being used as a cardiac supporting device. An innovative medical device has been made by using the knitted and woven fabrics, which corrects the life-threatening conditions of the heart and vascular system. Implantation of the new devices requires less invasive surgical procedures and involves less risk than traditional procedures, while also causing fewer complications in hospital days. Heart failure is a chronic syndrome that occurs when the heart is not getting enough amount of blood. Generally, valve leakage is reliable for this. The treatment of heart failure is only the drug therapies and surgical, but they are temporary treatment. The only permanent treatment is a heart transplant. But most of the patients cannot qualify for heart transplantation. So they have to do the

So the scientists have developed a device named as a cardiac support device (CSD), which is intended to halt the progression of heart failure. The cardiac support device (CSD) research was conducted to determine the best material, yarn configuration, knit pattern, and processing to use to produce CSD fabric. It is a mesh-like warp knitted fabric. The fabric is fabricated from the multifilament texture (**Figure 3**). Polyester fabric is used for it. Polyester fabric has biological tissue response and it has the compatibility for the epicardial surface of the heart. The polyester yarns are warp knitted into a mesh configuration using a variation of an atlas stitch. After knitting, the fabric is conditioned to ease its handling during the processing to

**4.4 Smart clothing with improved comfort and safety for firefighters**

Temperature is a major challenge in numerous professions—thermal comfort and occupational safety. For example, in emergency missions of fire and rescue services as well as in mines and construction sites, the working conditions often

Working in hot situations without wearing appropriate protective clothing and equipment often causes high heat stress. It will be perfect if the amount of such stress could be monitored in real time during the performance of different work tasks. To solve this, researchers and companies together developed a wearable technology solution for firefighters. It allows the real-time monitoring of heat stress, thus improving the occupational health and safety in challenging temperatures.

**252**

**Figure 3.** *Medical textiles working as a cardiac support device.*

The new method has been tested at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Oulu and at the Emergency Services College in Kuopio. Based on the first tests, it would seem to offer a very promising tool for commanding rescue missions and enhancing the occupational health and safety of firefighters [10–12].
