My research at De Montfort University explores how smart textiles and wearable technology could be integrated into everyday clothing to support emotional wellbeing.

Rather than developing another wearable device, my research investigates how textile-integrated technologies could be incorporated into garments that people already feel comfortable wearing. The aim is to explore whether clothing could help monitor physiological signals associated with stress in a way that is discreet, comfortable and centred around the needs of the wearer.

This research sits at the intersection of fashion design, biomedical engineering, wearable technology and healthcare. By combining expertise from these disciplines, I'm investigating how clothing might one day contribute to earlier awareness of physiological changes while remaining practical, comfortable and appropriate for everyday life.

The project is exploratory in nature and focuses on understanding both the technical challenges and the human-centred design considerations involved in developing future smart garments.

My research explores questions such as:

• How can technology be integrated into clothing without compromising comfort?

• How does garment design influence the performance of textile-integrated technologies?

• How can smart garments be designed responsibly and sustainably?

• What role could clothing play in supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health?

Research Themes

Current Research Activities

• Literature review

• Conductive textile testing

• Embroidered conductive pathways

• Prototype One development

• Materials evaluation

• Ethical approval

• Sensor integration planning