Open lecture: Textile-Based Electrodes for sEMG: Towards Smart Textile Systems for Home Rehabilitation

Lecturer: Li Guo, Associate Professor of Textile Technology

This lecture presents research in textile technology with a focus on textile-based electrodes for surface electromyography (sEMG). Starting from material and structural design, the work investigates how material selection, fabric architecture, and surface properties influence electrode performance in physiological signal acquisition. These fundamental studies form the foundation for integrating textile electrodes into smart textile systems for health and rehabilitation.

A four-step framework, materials and structure design, functional component design, system integration, and feasibility study, is used to illustrate how textile research can evolve from early-stage investigations to real-world applications. Research examples include textile electrodes for stroke rehabilitation and phantom limb pain treatment.

The lecture highlights the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing smart textiles from laboratory prototypes to user-oriented healthcare technologies. It offers a model for moving beyond proof-of-concept towards practical, user-centered research with societal relevance. The aim is to show how textile technology contributes to the future of digital health and rehabilitation through rigorous, application-oriented research.

This lecture is one of two at the same time. The other one is held at 13:00–14:00 by Junchun Yu, Associate Professor of Textile Technology:  Resource Efficiency and Recycling in Textiles: Exploring Pathways to More Sustainable Materials and Processes.