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The
invention called "metamaterial" allows radio waves like
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to glide across clothing between wearable
devices instead of radiating outwards in all directions.
This means sensors and wearable technology such as Apple Watches
and AirPods can establish stronger connections faster and save
energy, the scientists at National University of Singapore said.
"This T-shirt increases the wireless connectivity of devices
around my body by 1,000 times," said assistant professor John
Ho, donning a sports shirt laced with comb-shaped strips of the
metamaterial textile.
Ho, who oversaw a 10-member team that developed the technology
over a year, said it could be used for measuring the vital signs
of athletes or hospital patients.
It could also keep signals more secure by transmitting sensitive
information close to the body and away from potential
eavesdroppers on the radio waves, the scientists said.
The Singapore team have obtained a provisional patent on the
design of the textile, which can be washed, dried and ironed
like normal clothing and costs just a few dollars per meter to
produce.
(Reporting by Yiming Woo; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by
Karishma Singh and Darren Schuettler)
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