Noninvasive E-Textile System for Long-Term Multimodal Electrophysiological Monitoring in Sports and Clinical Healthcare

Textile-based electronic systems have emerged as a promising platform for creating noninvasive and comfortable human-machine interfaces across various domains, including sensing, display, and communication, which aligns with the contemporary drive for enhanced miniaturization and multifunctionality. This work presents a novel E-textile system comprising in-plane electrode layout and bioinspired conductive microfibers. This configuration allows for gel-free and motion-artifact-tolerant recording of multiple physiological signals, including electrocardiography and electromyography, capturing muscle activity triggered by motor neurons. More specifically, The base layout features a screen-printed array of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), with PEDOT:PSS-coated fluffy microfibers stacked on top. The vertically oriented hairy microfiber conductors ensure exceptional conformal and robust skin contact, while the dispersed microfiber electrodes substantially increase the effective contact area, significantly reducing the contact impedance between the electrode and skin. This feature enables comfortable all-day wear under dry conditions without the need for ionic gels. To ensure the durability and functionality of the textile in harsh conditions, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of trichloro(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl) silane is vaporized as a superhydrophobic coating. This treatment preserves the natural texture of the textile while maintaining the intrinsic conductivity of the electrodes. Additionally, portable miniaturized circuitry was meticulously designed and manufactured to enable multi-channel recording, signal processing, and wireless communications.<br/><br/>These advancements facilitate the seamless integration of the E-textile system into everyday life, broadening its potential applications. This study explores the application of E-textile systems in real-life scenarios, including strenuous exercise and clinical studies. We commence by demonstrating the robustness and stability of the E-textile system during professional cycling training sessions. Remarkably, the recorded signals remained clear and free from motion artifacts, even in the presence of intense sweating, maintaining a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 30 dB. Real-time monitoring facilitated on-the-spot data analysis, including heart rate and muscle output. Next, we tested the waterproof capability of the system by integrating it into an E-textile-equipped swimsuit. Throughout the professional swimming training, the fully submerged E-swimsuit consistently delivered reliable electrocardiography recordings, demonstrating its resilience and suitability for aquatic environments. Even when encountering water flows, the E-swimsuit showcased robust performance, making it ideal for water sports. Finally, the textile-based E-patch with electrode arrays was employed in clinical studies to monitor maternal/fetal health. Multiple pregnant subjects were involved for capturing multichannel maternal-electrocardiography and uterine-electromyography signals. The recorded multichannel uterine-electromyography signals were further processed to generate noninvasive and high spatiotemporal resolution three-dimensional (3D) electromyometrial images with a fast frame rate. This groundbreaking achievement offers unique insights into neural activities within the uterus, aiding in the diagnosis of abnormal obstetrics symptoms and predicting the risk of potential preterm birth. These findings underscore the versatility and potential of wearable E-textile systems across a wide range of real-world applications, paving the way for professional sports tracking and personalized advancements in healthcare.