TNO has joined forces in a new consortium of European companies and academic institutions, to address one of the most significant work-related health problems in Europe – the high number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
In the so called ConText project they will develop preventative solutions in the form of intelligent clothing that automatically warns users of impending muscle strain. The results of their work will also have important applications in other areas, for example, sports and fitness centers, medical institutions, rehabilitation centers and hospitals. The consortium is open to discussion about new application scenarios with interested parties.
To fulfill its mission of providing a comfortable and easy-to-use preventative method of avoiding exertion-induced musculoskeletal disorders, the ConText project will develop ways of integrating electrodes into clothing in order to pick up the electrical potential generated by muscle cells when they contract (surface electromyography), together with the integrated electronics needed to analyze and interpret these electrical signals.
Because they are an integral part of the clothing, these electrodes do not have to be positioned and attached to the skin by a clinician in the way that conventional electromyography electrodes do.
The result will be comfortable intelligent garments that provide instant feedback to the wearer on whether they are using their muscles correctly and within their physical limits. For workers it will mean continuous 24-hour on-the-job protection against disorders such as pulled muscles, slipped discs and repetitive strain injury (RSI).
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