Turning traditional textiles smart

Mexican researcher Paulino Vacas Jacques invented a "motherboard" able to turn textiles smart. This technology could be included in bed sheets to measure the hours slept by a person.

The entrepreneur says that he can "integrate" a card with sensors capable of measuring sleep cycles into sheets or bedspreads. "In particular, the technology would be aimed at people who suffer from depression and are under medical treatment, because it will be an effective tool to know how many hours of sleep the patient is getting."

Vacas Jacques designed the card for linen. The technology also includes a module which sends "monitoring or results" via radio frequencies to the doctor or specialist.

He adds that as this innovation is noninvasive, the patient won't have to be told to use this device because it will be implemented in the bedding.

"The technology-based invention is for individual use, and allows us to develop a series of products based on it. In this case, the mother card is the basis for different kinds of products."

Vacas Jacques, who worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says that the development was achieved with the support of the Innovation Park De La Salle in Guanajuato, center state in Mexico. And it can be applied in areas of health, commercial and sports, among others.

The entrepreneur already has a dozen products incorporating the technology and has been supported during the marketing process by the De La Salle park.

"Interested companies will acquire a package of technology for developing a series of products to operate commercially. For example, if a company is interested in the system it can be particularized specifically to the area where it is desired to be used."

The researcher approached the Social Innovation Park De La Salle to acquire the state and federal tools for technology transfer.