Wearable technology has already become part of everyday life. Many people now use smartwatches to track their heart rate, steps, and sleep.
But scientists believe the next big step could be clothing that does much more than keep us warm.
Researchers at the University of Georgia are exploring how smart fabrics could monitor health, improve comfort, and even store energy.
These advanced materials, known as smart textiles, are designed to sense changes in the body and environment.
Unlike bulky devices, they can be woven directly into clothing, making them lightweight, flexible, and comfortable to wear during normal activities.
A new review study published in the journal ACS Omega examined an emerging material called MXenes that could help power the next generation of smart clothing.
MXenes are extremely thin materials made from metals and arranged in two-dimensional layers. Because of their special electrical and chemical properties, scientists can coat or print them onto fabrics to create textiles that respond to the human body.
According to the researchers, MXenes could allow clothing to monitor important health signals in real time.
For example, smart garments could track body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and movement.
This information could be transmitted to health professionals, who could monitor patients remotely and receive alerts if something unusual occurs.
Such technology could be especially useful in hospitals and health care settings. One advantage of MXenes is that they naturally have antimicrobial properties, meaning they can help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Medical clothing made from these materials could reduce contamination risks and improve safety for both patients and health care workers.
Smart clothing could also help people manage their health in everyday life. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts might use garments that track their activity levels, body signals, and performance during exercise. Because the sensors are built into the fabric itself, the clothing could collect continuous data without requiring extra devices.
Another exciting possibility is that these fabrics could generate and store energy. Instead of relying on traditional batteries, smart textiles could capture energy from sunlight. Thin solar layers built into the fabric could power sensors and electronics embedded in the clothing.
Researchers even imagine that clothing could act like a flexible power bank. In the future, a jacket or shirt could potentially store energy and use it to charge devices such as smartphones or laptops while being worn.
Despite these promising possibilities, MXene-based fabrics still face challenges before they become widely available. The materials can lose effectiveness when exposed to oxygen or water, which means repeated washing could reduce their performance. Manufacturing MXenes also currently requires energy-intensive processes that are not environmentally friendly.
Scientists are now working to solve these problems by developing more durable and sustainable versions of the materials. Researchers hope to reduce oxidation and find ways to produce MXenes using biodegradable or eco-friendly components.
If these challenges can be overcome, smart clothing could transform the way people monitor their health, interact with technology, and even power their everyday devices.
