Smart Wearable Technologies & Design Group

Smart Wearable Technologies & Design Group brings together expertise in smart materials, wearable sensors, flexible electronics and AI-driven medical technologies to design the next generation of comfortable, adaptable, and intelligent wearable systems.

Our research focuses on developing e-textile and wearable technology alternatives, embedding sensors directly into garments and accessories prioritising comfort, usability, and inclusivity. We aim to create solutions that are more user-friendly and less invasive than conventional technology. By combining physiological monitoring, human-centred ergonomics, usability, and enabling technologies, the group aims to create innovative, accessible, and evidence-based solutions that enhance quality of life, support clinical decision-making, and optimise health and athletic performance. The group also explores modular, adjustable, and gender-responsive clothing systems, and collaborates across disciplines—including engineering, design, and the arts—to make e-textile technologies more accessible to non-experts.

Research Themes

Smart Textiles & Flexible Electronics 
Development of next-generation soft and flexible devices, e.g. for pregnancy care, sports performance, and continuous health monitoring, as well as developing tools and materials to make smart textile fabrication accessible to non-experts.

AI MedTech Innovation
Machine learning and AI-driven solutions for predictive healthcare, early diagnostics, and personalized wellbeing interventions.

Human-Centred Design & Ergonomics
Usability and design research to ensure that wearable and digital health solutions are inclusive, comfortable, and effective in real-world contexts.

Performance Enhancement & Rehabilitation
Technologies for sports performance optimisation, injury prevention, and rehabilitation monitoring.

Digital Wellbeing & Preventive Healthcare
Exploring non-invasive physiological measurements and enabling technologies for proactive, preventive, and accessible healthcare solutions, e.g. embedding sensors in clothing for continuous monitoring of blood pressure or other physiological data.

Broader Impact at NTU

The Smart Wearable Technologies & Design Group aligns with NTU’s mission of combining innovation, interdisciplinarity, and societal impact. Its work will:

• Advance NTU’s profile as a leader in digital health, wellbeing, and human-centred technology research, through research income generation via Innovate UK, EPSRC, and NIHR, and high-impact publications.

• Create new collaborations with healthcare providers, sports organisations, industry partners, and community organisations.

• Contribute to student education and employability by integrating cutting-edge research into teaching and project-based learning.

• Support NTU’s broader commitment to Health Innovation, and Digital and Creative Technologies, by driving forward translational research, commercialisation opportunities, open-source projects, and community impact.

Contact us

We welcome collaboration, inquiries and opportunities to engage with researchers, industry partners and students. Please feel free to get in touch with us using the details below.