New "powered clothing" can enhance physical abilities

Seismic, based in California, this week unveiled its Spring 2019 Collection at TechCrunch Disrupt, the world's largest technology start-up conference. Its new "powered clothing" fuses discreet robotics with textiles to create products that look and feel like apparel, but function more like an extension of the body – forming an extra set of muscles that people can wear every day.

Seismic’ s Powered Clothing consists of three distinct layers: a base layer, strength layer, and intelligent layer:

• The base layer is the apparel itself, designed to be worn primarily as an undergarment or can be worn as activewear on its own. Seismic’ s designers looked to the sports performance world to create a premium-quality suit that is cool, dry and comfortable to wear. The base layer contains interior pockets that hold the removable hardware and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It is constructed from a combination of stretch knit and woven fabrics that follow the contours of the body and provide structure where needed.

• The strength layer contains robotic components – located on the outer leg, extending up to the hip area, and including the lower back – that replicate the functionality of muscles, tendons and ligaments. These robotic "muscles" contract and relax, just as the body's muscles do, to assist motion, such as standing up from a seated position. If the wearer is in a prolonged standing position, the muscles will co-contract around the hip to promote stability and the proper posture. This layer also includes sensors that track body orientation, as well as the force applied by each robotic muscle.

• The intelligent layer is contained within an external pack, worn on the lower back, which is akin to the suit's brain and borrows from the world of mobile and IoT technology. Key components include:
– Onboard computer with memory, gathering data from sensors throughout the suit.
– Wireless connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, LTE) to access suit settings.
– Fully programmable suit controls that ensure a personal user experience called "Symbiosis." This means the suit listens to the wearer's movements and automatically provides support at just the right time; no other commands from the user are necessary.