Switzerland Develops High-Tech Medical Textiles

The Swiss Confederation Committee issued a press release, pointing out that EMPA, the Swiss Materials Science Research Center, has developed a number of textiles that are favorable for medical diagnosis, treatment and sports development. One special cloth contains the function of collecting foot weight, pressure and force information, which will be useful for kinematics and rehabilitation after artificial joint surgery.

We also developed high-tech fabrics containing thin metal plates, which are light, skin friendly and washable, and their finished products can be used to monitor sleep apnea. The research team is developing more functions through solution spinning technology, hoping to add respiratory frequency and blood oxygen saturation monitoring function.

Another plan for EMPA is to develop materials similar to biological tissue, which will later be used in cardiac pacemaker. This new material may be easier for human acceptance than existing materials. EMPA also plans to develop a highly sensitive polymeric fiber sensor for exhaling gas in the human body, which will be used in the early diagnosis of pneumonia and chronic nephritis.

For complex injuries, the center has also developed a drug cloth that can release drugs and adjust doses (analgesics, antibiotics or natural medicines) through the light source. The medicine cloth can also actively release the drugs when the acid and base values of the wound change.

The press release also pointed out that EMPA another research and manufacture of new micro nano particles invented by the imitation of cell membrane structure, the special structure of the substance allows mixed drugs (various drugs or vitamins), the use of nano elements, biocompatible substances and smart fiber technology, in the future can be used on drug cloth to increase the efficiency of treatment.