Intelligent Textiles for Safer Workplaces: The Story Behind Ifeel

At Smartex, we offer expert consulting in remote monitoring and wearable technologies, enabling the tracking of physical activity, energy expenditure, stress signals, and behavioral patterns. We support partners through every stage of product development: from initial concept to pre-industrial prototyping, delivering tailored solutions based on intelligent textiles and embedded sensors. Whether building a new product or refining an existing one, our goal is to enhance personal well-being through technology that is precise, wearable, and scalable.

Ifeel: A Wearable System for Biomechanical Risk Prevention

Developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ifeel is an advanced wearable system developed within the ergoCub project. Its mission is to improve workplace safety by monitoring workers' biomechanical conditions in real time, anticipating risky movements before they cause harm. The core innovation lies in its ability to integrate complex motion capture with real-time feedback in the form of gentle haptic alerts, effectively preventing incorrect postures or excessive strain.

The Ifeel suit leverages ten inertial measurement units (IMUs) (six positioned on the upper body and four on the lower limbs) to track posture, speed, and acceleration with high accuracy. Combined with sensor-equipped footwear, the system estimates joint stress, including compression and shear forces at critical points like the lumbar spine (L5–S1). Using real-time data, its embedded AI predicts biomechanical risks and triggers haptic feedback to warn the wearer before harmful activity occurs.

Smartex’s Role: From Consulting to Integration

Smartex collaborated with IIT across all critical phases of development, providing end-to-end consultancy and technical implementation. We began with the system architecture and supported the selection of textile materials, focusing on wearability, washability and long-term comfort. Our engineering team then handled the integration of IIT’s inertial sensors, ensuring their functionality without compromising garment flexibility or aesthetics.

We created and assembled two completely operational wired prototype suits: one version with external sensor access and the other featuring internal access, both adhering to the EN 340 standard for practical workplace use. Each garment underwent testing to ensure compliance with CE certification standards.

We also contributed to the connector design and the wiring layout, managing the requirements  to connect sensors in a robust yet unobtrusive way. 

Results and Future Potential

By merging textile expertise with intelligent sensor design, Smartex helped turn Ifeel from a research vision into a industrializable prototype, one step closer to becoming a new standard in occupational safety. Our collaboration with IIT demonstrates how wearable technology, when paired with strong design and development support, can lead to smarter, safer, and more responsive working environments.

How does it works

Check Ifeel website https://ifeeltech.eu/ to know more about the project. 

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