Sensing Textiles

The sensing textile adds, expands and improves the properties of the original textile application. Electronics embedded in textiles or clothing provide extra value to the user. The sensing solution enables the clothing or textiles to record, analyse, transmit and display the data. The data can extend the users senses, augment the user’s view of reality and provide useful information, anytime and anywhere. Sensing textile materials are lightweight, flexible, elastic, washable and can even tolerate decontamination procedures like disinfection and sterilization.

Functions

A textile sensor is able to detect and measure the user and the environment. It is meant be used for a long term measurement. Electrodes made of textile fibre material are a competing technology for the old-school plastic-moulded electrodes. Textile electrodes are comfortable and soft during use, while the plastic electrode has a less flexible surface, which may also feel uncomfortable and even irritate the skin during the skin contact. A textile electrode is lightweight, flexible, and even stretchable, and can be formed and shaped almost without limitations. The formable textile electodes provide solution for the production in smaller lots because the variation required for different applications is easy to accommodate. The flexibility in all directions of an electrode is an important property e.g. in body-monitoring applications, where proper skin contact with the textile electrode is essential.

For body monitoring measurements

Heart rate, heart rate variability, heart activity (ECG)
Stress level and sleep quality (ECG)
Brain function and vitality level (EEG)
Muscle rate and balance (EMG)
Body motions and postures (EMG)
Body composition; fat content and fluid balance (EBI)
Lung function (EIT)
Respiration rate and frequency
Skin conductivity
Temperature

FOR VARIOUS OTHER FUNCTIONS

Signal and power transfer
Heating
Antennas
Detectors and actuators
EMI – shielding
Static dissipation control (ESD)

Application areas for sensing textiles

Sport and lifestyle

Fun and wellbeing

Medical and healthcare

Professional and protective wear

Automotive

Technologies

The sophisticated manufacturing technologies enable the invisible and seamless integration of electronics or the other hard components to textile product. On the other hand elastic textile electrodes and cables can be bonded onto fabric without losing the elasticity of the layer structure.

Laser Cutting

Lamination and bonding of components

Service Concept

The service concept covers all the back-end services from idea creation to production management. Planno has a reliable and a global network of professionals and suppliers in entire supply chain of textile-based products.

Concept design

Managing concept design process

Data gathering methods
Facilitation of workshops
Idea creation
Idea evaluations

Product design, research and development

Product design
Prototyping
Electronic component integration
Specifying and validating

Material properties
Material suppliers
Manufacturing technologies
Producers

Production management via global supplier network

Production management
Effective production development

Manufacturing process
Sophisticated assembly technologies

Laser cutting
Ultrasonic welding
Laminating and coating

Quality management development

Global supply chain development

Building effective supply chain
New supplier sourcing and validation
Supplier evaluation systems
Operational manuals for sourcing

D.Sc Elina Ilén, CEO

Expertise

D.Sc. Tech in Material Science, Thesis: "Decontamination of Wearable Textile Electrodes for Medical and Health Care Applications (Wearable Technology)
M.Sc. Tech in Fiber, Textile and Clothing Science, Thesis: Childrens cold protective clothing (Clothing Physiology)
Co-inventor of five patents in the area of wearable technology
Inventor of ReimaGO -Concept in year 2015. www.reimago.com
Deep knowledge of functional, high-tech and smart and electronic materials and textiles
Strong understanding of the cutting edge manufacturing technologies of texile products
Reliable global supplier and professional network in entire supply chain for all kind of textile-based products
20 -year global experience of innovation management, R&D projects, production ramp-ups and quality management of wearable electronics, high-tech textiles and garments
Expert level knowledge of Asian business culture with strong personal relationships
Research Project Lead in Aalto University, 2016-2022. School of Arts and Design, Main research topic: The long term vital functions measurements via textiles electrodes for medical research and diagnostics. Research projects:

2018-2022 Rhytms In Infants Brains - develops textile -based wearable technology to detect infants neurological disorders via monitoring abnormal movements, sleep cycles and brain signals. Funded by Academy of Finland, Research Foundation of Pediatrics Research, Finland Brains Foundation In Finland
2019-2022 Sun Powered Textiles - intergrates textiles on the commercial solar cells and optimises textiles' optical properties in order to harvest energy through the textile from artifcial light. Funded by Business Finland and company partners Lindström, Foxa and Haltian.

Professor in Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, BarcelonaTech, 2022-2024 Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Professorship is funded by Maria Zambrano foundation.

Research areas: Smart textiles and wearable technology, circular economy and recycling of textile based materials.
Teaching: Smart textiles and research project management.
Research projects: Project initiation and planning, consortium building, funding instruments and applications, and leadership and management

Publications

Charting infants’ motor development at home using a wearable system: validation and comparison to physical growth charts. Airaksinen, M., Taylor, E.,, Gallen, A., Ilén, E., Saari, A., Sankilampi, U., Räsänen, O., Haataja, L.M., Vanhatalo, S. The Lancet e-Biomedicine. April 2023.

Optimisation of knitted fabrics as visually concealing covers for textile-integrated photovoltaics. Halme, J., Elsehrawy, F., Blomstedt, B., Ilén, E., Palovuori, E. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. January 2023.

Sun Powered Textiles, Designing energy autonomous electrotextile systems with solar cells. Ilén, E., Halme, J., Palovuori E., Blomstedt, B.,Elsehrawy, F., Arts Books. October 2022.

https://shop.aalto.fi/p/1810-sun-powered-textiles/ (for free)

Developing disposable EEG cap for Infant recordings at the neonatal intensive care unit. Asayesh, A., Ilen, E., Metsäranta, M.,Vanhatalo, S. Sensors. October 2022.

Intelligent wearable allows out-of-the-lab tracking of developing motor abilities in infants. Airaksinen M., Gallen, A., Kivi, A., Vijayakrishnan, P., Häyrinen, T., Ilén, E., Räsänen, O., Haataja, L.M., Vanhatalo, S. Nature Communications Medicine, June 2022

Designing Change: New Opportunities for Organisations, eds. Valtonen A., Nikkinen, P., Book Chapter 3: Valuable Measurements with Electronic Textiles, Ilén E. May 2022. p.112-119.

Washable textile embedded solar cells for self-powered wearables, Ilen, E., Elsehrawy, F., Palovuori, E. & Halme, J., 27 April 2022, In: Research Journal of Textile and Apparel.

An openly available wearable, a diaper cover, monitors infant's respiration and position during rest and sleep, Ranta, J., Ilen, E., Palmu, K., Salama, J., Roienko, O. & Vanhatalo, S., 19 Jun 2021, In: Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics.

Vauvan älyvaatteet: hypeä ja lupausta paremmasta terveydenhoidosta. (Smart Textiles of infants: hype and promise of improved healthcare) Vanhatalo, S., Airaksinen, M., Ilen, E., Häyrinen, T., Ranta, J., Räsänen, O. & Haataja, L., 25 Mar 2021, In: Duodecim: Lääketieteellinen aikakauskirja. 10 p.

Automatic Posture and Movement Tracking of Infants with Wearable Movement Sensors. Airaksinen, M., Räsänen, O., Ilen, E., Häyrinen, T., Kivi, A., Marchi, V., Gallen, A., Blom, S., Varhe, A., Kaartinen, N., Haataja, L. & Vanhatalo, S., 13 Jan 2020, In: Scientific Reports. 10, 1, 13 p.

Review of the end-of-life solutions in electronics-based smart textiles. Veske, P. & Ilen, E., 26 Sep 2020, In: Journal of Textile Institute. 13 p.

Improving sustainability in the value chain of apparel industry empowered with social manufacturing, Mohajeri, B., Kauranen, I.,Nyberg, T.,Ilén, E., Nelson, M. & Gang, X., Nov. 2020, IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications, ICIEA 2020. p. 235-240.

Recycling of Vat and Reactive Dyed Textile Waste to New Colored Man-Made Cellulose Fibers, Simone Haslinger S, Wang Y., Rissanen, M., Tanttu M., Ilén, E., Määttänen, M., Hummel, M., Sixta, H. Green Chemistry. 15 p. 2019

User experience of wearable infant sleep monitoring system for medical research and diagnostics, Ilen, E., Agosta, N.., Ranta, J., Airaksinen, M., Haataja, L. & Vanhatalo, S., 13 Jun 2019, AUTEX Conference proceedings 2019, 6 p.

Empathy in a Technology Driven Design Process: Designing for Users without a Voice of their Own, Ilen, E., Groth, C., Ahola, M. & Niinimäki, K., 3 Jun 2019, NORDES 2019: WHO CARES?. Nordic Design Research Conference, 11 p.

Colour management in circular economy: decolourization of cotton waste, Määttänen, M., Asikainen, S., Kamppuri, T., Ilen, E., Niinimäki, K., Tanttu, M. & Harlin, A., 29 May 2019, In: Research Journal of Textile and Apparel. 23, 2, p. 134-152 19 p

High performance Technical Textiles, ed. Roshan Paul, Book Chapter 3: Sport Textiles and Comfort Aspects, Harlin, A., Jussila, K., Ilén E. p.37-68. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2019

Colours in a Circular Economy, Niinimäki, K.,; Smirnova, Eugenia; Ilen, E., Sixta, H., Hummel, M. 2017, Conference Publication University of the Arts London

Decontamination of Wearable Textile Electrodes for Medical and Health Care Applications Ilen E., Publication 1305. Tampere University of Technology, Tampere Finland 2015.

Textile Electrodes in Electrical Bioimpedance, J.C. Marquez, F. Seoane, E. Välimäki (Ilén) and K. Lindecrantz, The 6^th International Workshop on Wearable Micro and Nanosystems for Personalised Health, Oslo, Norway 2009.

Textile Electrodes in Electrical Bioimpedance Measurements – A Comparison with Conventional Ag / Ag Cl Electrodes, J.C. Marquez, F. Seoane, E.Välimäki (Ilén) and K. Lindecrantz, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2009, Minneapolis, USA 2009.

Comparison of Dry-Textile Electrodes for Electrical Bioimpedance Spectroscopy Measurements, J.C. Marquez, F. Seoane, E.Välimäki (Ilén) and K. Lindecrantz, The XIVth International Conference on Electrical Bioimpedance, Florida USA 2010.