Harmless low voltages are passed through conductive threads which are stitched into garment seams to create electrical circuits. Their resistance changes with the movement of the wearer's body, according to new research published by the Universities of Bristol and Bath.

Presented at the Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) conference in Copenhagen, the study sets the stage for advanced digital clothing capable of more precise movement sensing than current mobile devices and smartwatches. This innovation holds promise for enhancing exercise, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation practices, the University of Bristol said in a press release.

"We're excited by the opportunity for clothing manufacturers to implement our designs in sleeves and other garment seams. We've shown that common overlocked seams in standard garment constructions can do a good job of sensing movement. The design avoids the need for a separate power source by pairing the seam with a charging coil, drawing the energy wirelessly from a mobile phone placed in the pocket,” professor Mike Fraser of the University of Bristol’s school of computer science, said.

“This means advanced motion sensing garments could be made without altering existing manufacturing processes. We have also shown that smartphone apps using advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques can use this movement data to match body movement to specific postures or gestures such as physiotherapeutic exercises,” explained Fraser.