A ‘bionic bra’ that adjusts to breast rhythm
Scientists have designed the world’s first ‘bionic bra’ that automatically adjusts itself in response to the breast movement to provide more comfort to the wearer.
Researchers from the University of Wollongong in Australia have created a new prototype of the bra, which has been made using intelligent components.
“The advent of approaches such as 3D printing has enabled us to assemble structures containing new sensing technologies to more accurately monitor movement and new artificial muscle technologies to control it,” professor Gordon Wallace, executive research director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at UOW said.
“These advances have inspired us to (re)confront the challenges involved in creating the bionic bra,” Wallace said.
Professor Julie Steele, director of Breast Research Australia (BRA) based at UOW, has been investigating the movement of women’s breasts during physical activity for more than 15 years.
She said that without the right breast support, long-term damage can be done, including numbness in the fingers caused by compression of nerves on the shoulders, as well as neck and back pain.
“Unfortunately, the most supportive sports bras tend to be the most uncomfortable to wear. Making matters worse, BRA research has found that 85% of women are wearing bras that do not fit or support their breasts correctly,” said Wallace.
While vast improvements have been made recently to the design of the bionic bra, the researchers said that there are still some kinks to iron out.
“Although we have made substantial progress, we still have a way to go before the bionic bra can be taken from the bench top to the washing machine. However, when finished, the bionic bra will transform bra design,” Steele said.
“Results indicate that our technologies can sense breast motion and provide additional breast support. The challenge now is to integrate these technologies into a functional, comfortable bra,” Bionic Bra team member Sheridan Gho said.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
Published: 15 Dec 2014
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
