Role
Experimental officer (technical: developing advanced knitting techniques)
Career overview
Dedicated Knitting Technician with 30 years of experience in the textile knitting industry and 12 years in academic settings. Skilled in operating and maintaining advanced knitting machinery, while mentoring and guiding students in the practical applications of knitting technology. Experienced in working with various yarns, fabric structures, and advanced knitting technologies. Proficient in collaborating with faculty and schools to design and deliver teaching sessions, hands-on workshops and research projects that effectively bridge theory and industry practices. Known for encouraging a supportive learning environment and staying updated with the latest knitting and textile technology innovations.
Research areas
Knitted metal mesh space antenna
Electronically-functional yarn (E-Yarn)
Breathable prosthetic liners
Knitted compression sleeves for the management of lymphoedema
Knitted heated gloves and garments
Knitted fabric antenna for communication systems
Knitted pressure sensor fabrics
HRV measurement through car seats, in collaboration with Plessey Semiconductors
Knitted temperature-sensing socks embedded with E-yarns
Knee supports for anterior cruciate ligament injuries
3D knitted textiles
Seamless knitting
Textile for Communications
Medical textiles
Electro-active knitted textiles
External activity
Knitting and Textile Consultant
Advised on research projects involving smart textiles and wearable technology.
Provided technical expertise on knitting technology and E-yarn integration.
Designed and developed custom knitting solutions, including compression garments, experimental textile prototypes
Collaborated with clients to troubleshoot and optimize production processes, reducing waste and increasing efficiency.
Co-investigator on research projects involving knitting technology, fashion knitwear practices, and the integration of E-yarns into wearable devices.
Contributed to the development of electrically active textiles, knitted metal mesh antennas, and compression garments.
Worked closely with multidisciplinary teams to align research goals with industry needs, resulting in patented innovations and published papers
Sponsors and collaborators
Dstl and EPSRC
The development of a novel patient-customised compression sleeve for the treatment of lymphoedema (2015, KTP – Innovate UK)
Active simulator cockpit enhancement (2016, 20 months, Horizon 2020)
Development of novel space antenna surface material and manufacturing processes Innovate UK 2017-19
DeCSA-M: Deployable Cassegrain Antenna for Microsatellites ESA (European Space Agency) 2018
As an active researcher within the ATRG (Advanced Textiles Research Group), I have served as a co-investigator on several funded research projects. These projects focus on the use of knitting technology and fashion knitwear practices in developing compression garments, electrically active knitted textiles, knitted metal mesh antennas, gloves, socks, and sleeves for E-yarn integration.
Publications
Patents on prosthetic liners, and on moisture and heat transfer
Publications
HaptiYarn: Development of an Actuator Yarn That Can Transform Everyday Textiles Into Haptic Devices
IEEE Transactions on Haptics
2024-10 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1109/TOH.2024.3371831
Contributors: Pasindu Lugoda; Richard Arm; Angus Wooler; Lincoln Barnes; Ahmed Tamkin Butt; Carlos Oliveira; Arash Shahidi; William Navaraj
Exploring Sustainable Approaches for Electronic Textile Products and Prototypes
Sensors
2024-08-23 | Journal article
DOI: 10.3390/s24175472
Part of ISSN: 1424-8220
Contributors: Nishadi Perera; Arash Moghaddassian Shahidi; Kalana Marasinghe; Jake Kaner; Carlos Oliveira; Rachael Wickenden; Tilak Dias; Theo Hughes-Riley
Wearable Electronic Textiles for Healthcare, Wellbeing, and Protective Applications
2024-05-11 | Conference paper
DOI: 10.1145/3613905.3648646
Contributors: Theo Hughes-Riley; Arash M. Shahidi; Kalana Marasinghe; Zahra Rahemtulla; Malindu Ehelagasthenna; Parvin Ebrahimi; Richard Arm; Carlos Oliveira; Lars Erik Holmquist; Tilak Dias
Quantification of Fundamental Textile Properties of Electronic Textiles Fabricated Using Different Techniques
Textiles
2024-05-03 | Journal article
DOI: 10.3390/textiles4020013
Part of ISSN: 2673-7248
Contributors: Arash Moghaddassian Shahidi; Kalana Marasinghe; Parvin Ebrahimi; Jane Wood; Zahra Rahemtulla; Philippa Jobling; Carlos Oliveira; Tilak Dias; Theo Hughes-Riley
The Design and Development of Woven Textile Solar Panels
Materials
2023-06-01 | Journal article
DOI: 10.3390/ma16114129
Part of ISSN: 1996-1944
Contributors: Neranga Abeywickrama; Matholo Kgatuke; Kalana Marasinghe; Mohamad Nour Nashed; Carlos Oliveira; Arash Moghaddassian Shahidi; Tilak Dias; Theo Hughes-Riley
The Design and Engineering of a Fall and Near-Fall Detection Electronic Textile
Materials
2023-02-25 | Journal article
DOI: 10.3390/ma16051920
Part of ISSN: 1996-1944
Contributors: Zahra Rahemtulla; Alexander Turner; Carlos Oliveira; Jake Kaner; Tilak Dias; Theo Hughes-Riley
Classifying Gait Alterations Using an Instrumented Smart Sock and Deep Learning
IEEE Sensors Journal
2022-12-01 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1109/jsen.2022.3216459
Part of ISSN: 1530-437X
Part of ISSN: 1558-1748
Part of ISSN: 2379-9153
Contributors: Pasindu Lugoda; Stephen Clive Hayes; Theo Hughes-Riley; Alexander Turner; Mariana Ventura Martins; Ashley Cook; Kaivalya Raval; Carlos Oliveira; Philip Breedon; Tilak Dias
An Investigation of the Physical and Electrical Properties of Knitted Electrodes When Subjected to Multi-Axial Compression and Abrasion
International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles
2021-01-04 | Journal article
DOI: 10.3390/proceedings2021068002
Engineering a pulse rate monitoring glove
Infrared Sensors, Devices, and Applications X
2020-08-22 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1117/12.2567230
Flexible Temperature Sensor Integration into E-Textiles Using Different Industrial Yarn Fabrication Processes
Sensors
2019-12-21 | Other
DOI: 10.3390/s20010073
Part of ISSN: 1424-8220
Contributors: Pasindu Lugoda; Julio Costa; Carlos Oliveira; Leonardo A. García-García; Sanjula D. Wickramasinghe; Arash Pouryazdan; Daniel Roggen; Tilak Dias; Niko Münzenrieder
A Knitted Multi-Junction Pressure Sensor That Uses Electrical Resistance to Determine the Applied Pressure: Development and Characterization
International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles 2019-12-04 | Other DOI: 10.3390/proceedings2019032003 Contributors: Theodore Hughes-Riley; Carlos Oliveira; Tilak Dias
Understanding the design rules for a nonintrusive, textile, heart rate monitoring system
Digital Medicine
2019-10 | Journal article
DOI: 10.4103/digm.digm_27_19
Part of ISSN: 2226-8561
Contributors: Theodore Hughes-Riley; Fraser Hill-Casey; Carlos Oliveira; Arash Shahidi; William Hurley; Tilak Dias
The characterization of a pressure sensor constructed from a knitted spacer structure
Digital Medicine
2019-01 | Journal article
DOI: 10.4103/digm.digm_17_18
Part of ISSN: 2226-8561
Contributors: Theodore Hughes-Riley; Carlos Oliveira; Robert H. Morris; Tilak Dias
Developing Novel Temperature Sensing Garments for Health Monitoring Applications
Fibers
2018-07-10 | Other
DOI: 10.3390/fib6030046
Part of ISSN: 2079-6439
Contributors: Pasindu Lugoda; Theo Hughes-Riley; Carlos Oliveira; Rob Morris; Tilak Dias
An automated process for inclusion of package dies and circuitry within a textile yarn
2018 Symposium on Design, Test, Integration & Packaging of MEMS and MOEMS (DTIP)
2018-05 | Other
DOI: 10.1109/dtip.2018.8394189
Contributors: Dorothy Hardy; Ioannis Anastasopoulos; M-Nour Nashed; Carlos Oliveira; Theodore Hughes-Riley; Abiodun Komolafe; John Tudor; Russel Torah; Steve Beeby; Tilak Dias