Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have stunned the world by developing a vest for the elderly – that detects the risk of deadly hypothermia. The smart-tech reduces the increased risk that elderly people face due to losing body heat faster, having impaired temperature regulation, chronic conditions, medications and frailty.
Led by Dr Theo Hughes-Riley of Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) Advanced Textiles Research Group (ATRG), the vest boasts four miniature thermistors embedded into the yarn to detect body temperature changes. The data from trials revealed unique temperature change patterns that could help identify potentially dangerous health conditions before they become dangerous.
Dr Hughes-Riley, of the Nottingham School of Art & Design, said: « Hypothermia is a very dangerous condition, particularly for those who are elderly and live alone without anyone to raise the alarm for them should they become ill.
« By combining electronic textiles with an everyday garment such as a vest, carers and medical professionals would be able to respond immediately to any detected risk and help save the lives of older people who may need urgent support. »
The UK sees thousands of excess winter deaths, with up to 10,000 deaths in England and Wales each year linked to cold homes and fuel poverty, often involving hypothermia as a contributing factor especially in the elderly.
Public Health England noted around 35,000 excess winter deaths overall, with cold homes a major driver, but respiratory/circulatory issues are often primary causes, with hypothermia exacerbating them.
Hypothermia is a dangerous drop in body temperature below 35C (normal body temperature is around 37C). It’s a medical emergency that needs to be treated in hospital.
The NHS says symptoms include shivering; pale, cold and dry skin – skin and lips may turn blue or grey (on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet); slurred speech; slow breathing and tiredness or confusion.
The vest’s thermistors – placed on flat contact surfaces help maintain consistent connection with the skin – operate on a semiconductor principle where resistance decreases as temperature increases.
They are calibrated specifically for the yarns used in the vest, and the data they give are inferred to estimate core body temperature in the wearer.
The thermistors are 1mm long and 0.5mm wide and connected to a microcontroller via Bluetooth which allows real-time data to be transmitted to a mobile phone – to raise the alarm if abnormal readings persist over time.
Senior research fellow Dr Arash Moghaddassian Shahidi said: « By utilising smart textiles technology in this way, we can help ensure that vulnerable older people are monitored around the clock for serious health conditions like hypothermia, where it is paramount that they receive urgent treatment. »
Encapsulated in resin to make them fully washable, and covered in a polyester braid, the thermistors are placed at key parts of the body, with two on the chest and two on the scapula, but cannot be felt by the wearer.
A prototype has been tested across a range of everyday movements – such as sitting, walking, jumping, and reaching – to ensure it responds accurately in real-world use.
PhD researcher Kalana Marasinghe, who tested the prototype, added: « This research shows how smart textiles have the potential to save people’s lives by providing carers and clinicians with real-time data about a person’s health to help ensure they receive appropriate treatment. »
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