Textronics, Inc. Receives FDA Clearance On Textile Electrode

Main Category: Medical Devices
Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 19 Feb 2008 - 11:00 PDT

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Textronics, Inc. has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to market its textile-based ECG Electrode for use in general electrocardiograph monitoring and recording procedures. The company's heart-sensing fabric offers a comfortable alternative to adhesive electrodes and metal wristbands that are commonly used with most ECG instruments on the market.

"Our textile electrodes can be worn comfortably against the skin, as part of a seamless garment, fabric chest strap or elastic wrist band," explains Textronics CEO Stacey Burr. "We're offering the medical community a more comfortable and less cumbersome solution that can improve patient compliance by eliminating skin irritation and other discomforts that are commonly experienced during ECG monitoring, especially in extended wear applications."

Textronics uses its patented technology to knit conductive sensing fibers directly into stretchy fabrics that can monitor physiological conditions comfortably and accurately. The company's textile electrode garments, straps and wristbands are also machine washable and reusable. They can be used for a wide range of ECG monitoring and recording applications, including cardiac event recorders, stress testing, Holter monitoring, trans-telephonic pacemaker monitors, and respiration sensing devices.

"We have already reached into fitness and sports markets, where heart rate monitoring is widely used to enhance performance and to ensure safety," says Burr. "We can now bring our ECG electrode technology to the health care market, where advances in technology are enabling people to monitor their biofeedback from the comfort of their own homes."

About Textronics

Textronics, Inc. is a leader in the development of wearable sensors for fitness and health monitoring. The Company's patented textile sensor systems are capable of capturing comprehensive physiologic data from the body and are designed to be seamlessly integrated into everyday garments. Wearable monitoring allows a comfortable and user-friendly way to obtain body data measurements to assist consumers in managing their top wellness concerns of weight loss, physical health and energy level. Textronics Inc. sells sensor components and markets its own line of clothes for personal monitoring under the brand name NuMetrex.

http://www.numetrex.com
http://www.textronicsinc.com