GPS-embedded clothing for finding children or skiers when they are lost, bio-monitoring smart shirts, and vests that monitor a patient's vital signs are no longer science fiction but science fact. It is quite likely that within 20 or 30 years, computers, telephones, and televisions will be a part of our intimate clothing. Covering the whole design cycle of smart clothes, Smart Clothing: Technology and Applications examines applications for the general public and highlights the important human factors aspects that make products not only usable but marketable.
The book discusses the state of the art in smart clothing technology and applications. The chapters address usability and human aspects relevant to the manufacture and sale of such products and detail the evolving and increasingly wide-ranging applications in fields such as information technology, healthcare, and entertainment. They also cover technology topics including interface, communication, energy supply, data management, processors, and actuators. Discussions of packaging and interconnection, shape memory alloy, and design and modeling of electronic textile applications round out the coverage.
With technology news blaring headlines such as Smart Clothing Coming Soon to Your Galaxy and Futuristic Fashions Will Fight Our Health Scares, can clothing that communicates with your washer and dryer be far behind? It is not enough to understand the technology, you must also grasp the human factor aspects. Identifying the challenges and potential benefits of smart clothing from both perspectives, this book provides integrated coverage that establishes the need for methods significantly different from traditional ones. Its up-to-date coverage allows you to visualize trends and provides a glimpse into the future.
About the Author: Dr. Gilsoo Cho is a professor of the Department of Clothing and Textiles at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea since 1984. She got her B.S. and M.S. in Clothing and Textiles at Seoul National University in 1978 and 1980, respectively, and her Ph.D. in Clothing and Textiles at Virginia Tech in 1984.
Professor Cho currently focuses her research on the development of smart textiles and clothing. She is one of the Korean pioneers in the field. She successfully mentored 20 master students and 7 doctor students on diverse aspects of textile and apparel science, and published approximately 90 articles during the last ten years. Besides, she led various research projects, notably a 5-year project for the Technological development of smart-wear for future daily life funded by the Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economics until 2009. Her works involve scholars from several leading universities worldwide as well as partners from Korean industrial companies.
Professor Cho is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society since 2005, and stands on the editorial board of Fibers and Polymers since 2000 and is currently serving as an associate editor of the Journal. She has obtained 10 patents covering topics as diverse as switches in fabrics, simulations for fabric sounds, and photovoltaic yarns. She has appeared in Marquis Who's Who both in science and business since 2003. She was recognized as one of the top 100 scientists in 2005 by the International Biographical Center, and received an award from the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies at the same year.
