University of Bristol

An £11 million funding in the UK will help develop clever robotic clothing which keeps people active and independent, addressing the needs of the country’s 6.7 million people with age or disability-related mobility issues.

A study on post-consumer policies in the athleticwear sector has revealed that eco-conscious consumers are not well-served by clothing companies claiming green credentials, and environmental circular economy initiatives for activewear enterprises are limited by where firms and consumers are located, preventing them from being fully effective.

Research at the Universities of Bristol and Bath has led to the creation of low-power interactive, digital clothing which senses and captures movements much more accurately than is possible using current phones and smart watches, while preserving the pervasive processes and systems used for manufacturing of everyday garments.