The Bionic Bra: Using electromaterials to sense and modify breast support to enhance active living.

Background: Although the most supportive sports bras can control breast motion and associated breast pain, they are frequently deemed uncomfortable to wear and, as a result, many women report exercise bra discomfort. Given that exercise bra discomfort is associated with decreased levels of physical activity, there is a pertinent need to develop innovative solutions to address this problem.

Objectives: This research aimed to evaluate the use of electromaterial sensors and artificial muscle technology to create a bra that was capable of detecting increases in breast motion and then responding with increased breast support to enhance active living.

Levetiracetam-loaded biodegradable polymer implants in the tetanus toxin model of temporal lobe epilepsy in rats.

Approximately one-third of people with epilepsy receive insufficient benefit from currently available anticonvulsant medication, and some evidence suggests that this may be due to a lack of effective penetration into brain parenchyma. The current study investigated the ability of biodegradable polymer implants loaded with levetiracetam to ameliorate seizures following implantation above the motor cortex in the tetanus toxin model of temporal lobe epilepsy in rats. The implants led to significantly shorter seizures and a trend towards fewer seizures for up to 1 week.

In vivo biocompatibility and in vitro characterization of poly-lactide-co-glycolide structures containing levetiracetam, for the treatment of epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, and is highly resistant to medication with up to 40% of patients continuing to experience seizures whilst taking oral antiepileptic drugs. Recent research suggests that this may be due to abnormalities in the blood-brain barrier, which prevent the passage of therapeutic substances into the brain. We sought to develop a drug delivery material that could be implanted within the brain at the origin of the seizures to release antiepileptic drugs locally and avoid the blood brain barrier.

Can fabric sensors monitor breast motion?

To establish whether conducting polymer-coated fabric sensors could be used to monitor breast motion, vertical breast motion of two large breasted women (C+ bra cup) was simultaneously monitored using an OPTOTRAK 3020 motion analysis system (200 Hz) and polymer-coated fabric sensors linked to a custom-made Bluetooth telemetry system (100 Hz) as the subjects walked and ran on a treadmill (7-10 km h(-1)). Sensor strain, change in resistance and vertical breast displacement relative to trunk movement were output for analysis. It was concluded that, although polymer-coated fabric sensors may exhibit a small response lag due to textile geometry changes, they were able to accurately and reliably represent changes in the amplitude of vertical breast displacement during treadmill gait.

Wearable textile biofeedback systems: are they too intelligent for the wearer?

The Intelligent Knee Sleeve is a device capable of providing immediate audible feedback to the wearer pertaining to knee flexion angle during human movement. The Intelligent Knee Sleeve was used in a landing training program to determine whether providing subjects with this form of feedback was able to effect a change in knee flexion angle during dynamic landing tasks. Preliminary results suggest that the feedback modality is effective in correcting landing technique.