Silica-based chemical sensors integrated with a optoelectronic readout system for smart textiles

Nowadays much progress has been made in the integration of physical transducers into clothing e.g. for heart rate, breathing rate and temperature measurement. The integration of chemical sensing into textiles adds a new dimension to the field of smart clothing. Wearable chemical sensors may be used to provide valuable information about the wearer’s health, monitoring the wearer during their daily routine within their natural environment. In addition to physiological measurements chemical sensors may also be used to monitor the wearer’s surrounding environment, identifying safety concerns and detecting threats. Whether the clothes are looking into the wearer’s personal health status or looking out into the surroundings, chemical sensing calls for a novel approach to sensor and textile integration. This paper discusses the development of pH chemical sensors onto cotton fabric. The photometer, based on a LED and a photodiode used for colorimetric analysis in reflective way, and the silica-based chemical sensors are discussed and a textile sensor is presented.