Companies and research institutes are developing a vest that will read muscle tension and deduce stress levels at any given time, as part of the EU-funded CONTEXT project.

‘Wearable electronics’ are at the core of the vest. Sensors woven into fabric register the electrical excitation of muscle fibres, while thin conducting metallic fibres pass the signals to an electronic analysis system.

Human muscle tension changes with stress levels – the greater the stress, the more likely the muscles are to produce a synchronous twitching effect. Although this is barely perceptible, the electrodes register the change.

The project members are exploring further potential applications such as a special vest for computer games. By selectively tensing the torso muscles, players could use the vest to control figures on the monitor. It could also contribute to improving safety in the workplace – perhaps to ensure workers do not lift loads that are too heavy for them. Sports coaches could also tell from the electronic vest whether athletes have reached their performance limits, or if they still possess energy reserves. The project partners have already demonstrated during field hockey training that the vest really works; it enabled players to choose the ideal moment for striking the ball and to hit it much further than usual.