Development and production of high value-added textile products, development of innovative technologies, which increase the functionality of textile products, are priority directions of textile engineering development. Possibilities of modern textile technologies to produce products of complex spatial shapes and structures, combining various natural, synthetic and non-textile fibres, significantly expand the limits of functionality and applicability of textile products. One of the fastest growing group of textile products in the world is electronic textile, i.e., e-textiles with integrated electrically conductive yarns and electronic components. Thus, wearable electronics significantly increase the functionality of textile products, but there are still many unresolved uncertainties. The development of e-textiles enables the development of heated, temperature-controlled orthopaedic products that help to solve problems of low physical activity caused by chronic pain. Too little physical activity is a big and growing problem not only in our aging society but also for young people. Compressive textile supports used for preventive wear improve posture, reduce fatigue and movement-related physiological stress, improve blood circulation and reduce chronic pain, even more, heated orthopaedic products further enhance this effect and allow a faster result to be achieved. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature of the heated orthopaedic product will be reached in the shortest possible time and will be kept constant within the set temperature limits. Thanks to the latest technologies, electrically conductive (heated) yarn can be laid during the formation of the knitted product structure, without additional technological operation. The aim of this project is to develop and investigate a posture-enhancing, pain- and stiffness-reducing textile orthopaedic product with controlled and interactively regulated heating. To achieve the goal, the task to be solved is to create a 3D textile structure with a directly integrated heating element, which ensures the required and regulated heating temperature as well as and the durability of functional and comfort properties.
Project funding:
This research project is funded by the European Social Fund according to the 2014–2020 Operational Programme for the European Union Funds’ Investments, under measure’s No. 09.3.3-LMT-K-712 activity “Promotion of postdoctoral fellowships studies”.
Project results:
A 3D textile structure has been created with a directly integrated heating element that ensures the required and adjustable heating temperature and the durability of functional and comfort properties.
Period of project implementation: 2021-07-01 - 2023-06-30
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
