THE INTERVIEW
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Markus Weder |
A My working day involves searching for new ideas for projects related to textiles that are in contact with the skin, for example, textile sensors. I write projects, determine time scales and how to make the first prototype; I seek out the right partners, funding and new materials or materials with special properties.
Q How did you get into the medical device industry?
A I trained as a medical engineer and came into contact with doctors and medical product companies. This caused me to want to solve the problems I was exposed to, whether clinical or product based. Initially, I worked on clothing comfort (heat and mass transfer) to improve the wear comfort of sport and fire fighter protection clothing. The data gathered made me aware of the issues involved in monitoring medical conditions. For example, during tests on the physiological behaviour of the body we have seen that the typical disposable electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors are not suitable for long term measuring and that we have to develop new sensors that are integrated into garments. This led to new plasma treated fibres for sensors.
Q What is the best thing about your work?
A It is rewarding to develop products, especially those for elderly people, that provide a more comfortable and secure life; these include garments with integrated monitoring systems and alarms that call for medical assistance.
Q What do you think is the most important medical device invention ever?
A One of the most important developments was the magnet resonance imaging apparatus for diagnostics.
Q What should people give attention to?
A In industrialised countries most people are working virtually the whole day sitting in front of a computer screen and there is a lack of movement; the problems of overweight people with all the related diseases are a huge challenge for the future. Smart clothing with integrated electronics will help prevent obesity by encouraging the wearer to take more activity. By monitoring movement and calculating the calories burnt, electronic clothes will help people interpret their lifestyle and motivate change.
Q What is the most exciting development on the horizon?
A We have developed with partners a new textile sensor electrode for ECG measurements for the sports sector, which will soon be on the market. This is being developed for medical application in the long term monitoring of cardiac risk patients where the demands are more complex, for example, the skin is dry and the quality of the ECG signal is weaker. Preventative medicine and the elderly are new target areas for electronic clothing, which monitors daily life, particularly for those at risk of cardiac problems.
Q What do you want from your suppliers?
A As a research institute we have no real suppliers but partners; our intention is to be a reliable partner for the industry.
Markus Weder, Dipl. Ing., is Project Leader in the Swiss federal laboratory for material testing and research at EMPA, Swiss Material Science and Technology, St.Gallen, Switzerland, tel. +41 71 274 7774, e-mail: markus.weder@empa.ch www.empa.ch. His department works on textile sensors in contact with the skin, textiles for multiple sclerosis patients and materials for decubitus prevention.
