“hitoe”--A Wearable Sensor Developed through Cross-industrial Collaboration

NTT succeeded in developing a novel composite material consisting of a flexible conductive fiber fabricated by coating fiber material such as silk with a conductive polymer (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythio-phene) poly(styrenesulfonate): PEDOT-PSS). A press release on this development was issued in February 203. Then, in January 204, after forming a tie-up with NTT DOCOMO to spearhead the development of related services, NTT jointly announced with Toray Industries, Inc. and NTT DOCOMO the development of this composite conductive fiber material under the brand name “hitoe.” This article introduces the technology behind the hitoe material and discusses future scenarios in which the bio-medical signals measured by hitoe should prove useful.