Intelligent Fabric Bras — Smart Bras For Active Women

Scientists at the University of Wollongong are developing a 'smart bra' that will change its properties in response to breast movement, giving better support to active women when they need it most. Crafted from a new generation of intelligent fabrics, the ultimate intelligent fabric bras will tighten and loosen their straps, or stiffen and relax their textile cups, to restrict breast motion, preventing breast pain and sag.

Predicted to outperform any existing bra in the support stakes, the intelligent fabric bra will encourage more large-breasted women back to sports, and in extreme cases, stop clavicles snapping from the sudden movement of excessively heavy breasts.

Preliminary research is using textile polymer sensors on standard bras to measure strap loading and possible breathing restriction. Fabric sensors attached to the straps and midriff of a standard bra, worn by a model in motion, will monitor breast movement and relay data in real time to a computer via a telemetry system. Information gathered from the tests will eventually be stored on a tiny microchip that will serve as the 'brain' of the ultimate Smart Bra, signaling the polymer fabric to expand and contract in response to breast movement.

Although the eventual Smart Bra would appeal to a fairly small market, applications for the technology are endless, either as a monitoring system or as actuated fabrics. It will be the first time intelligent textile polymer systems have been completely integrated into fabric structure. This represents a major advance in the field of technical textiles, which is gaining tremendous momentum throughout the world.

About The Author:

Darlene Thompson is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.bra-n-bras.com. As in independant consultant, she has been designing womens support under garments and bras for almost a decade.