DuPont Electronics & Imaging has been making flexible circuitry for decades, but our customers wanted electronics that were flexible and stretchy enough to fit in clothing - electronics that could snap back to size and survive exposure to the elements. When we introduced DuPont™ Intexar™, an electronic ink and film that transforms fabric into smart clothing, it kicked off a cascade of innovative ideas for applications including fitness gear, heated garments, wearable health care, and more. In a 5G world, this technology could even continuously and comfortably connect patients at home to remote monitoring systems. Smart clothing with Intexar™ is currently being tested by pro sports teams, and we’re working with organizations in the medical industry to explore its use in that sector, too.

The Owlet Band – made with DuPont™ Intexar™ ultra-thin fabric sensors – feels like comfortable clothing but uses specialized sensors and state-of-the-art algorithms, housed in a fabric band that sits around an expectant mother's abdomen, to track the baby’s heartbeat and activity levels, sending real-time data wirelessly to a smartphone.

Expecting parents can wake up to a wellness report of their unborn child and can see if the baby’s heartbeat and movement are within acceptable ranges. This innovative technology gives parents important insights into the wellness of their developing infant during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, all in the comfort of their own home, and provides useful data to discuss with prenatal care providers. 

3,000 circuit lines imaged with our photoresists can fit on the width of one human hair

At the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show, OwletCare’s new Owlet Band with Intexar™ technology won the Best of Innovation in Wearable Technologies award – usually awarded to a smart watch – and was an honoree in Tech to Change the World.