Innovative Materials and Products – A development of a "Smart Illuminative and object sensing sports and biking jacket"

For the development of an innovative product the field of smart sport textiles was
chosen, imagining that this product is developed in a company that is experienced in
the production of sportsclothing and that has a high quality and nearly luxurious image
to its customers. They already launched innovative products which became bestsellers
like jackets that are made of a patented breathable fabric with antiseptical and skin
friendly features.
Often smart textiles are used for increased convenience but for the project the focus
will be on customer safety. Prerequisite for this decission is the issue of high number
of deaths of bikers in bicycle traffic in the last months due to the overseeing of car or
truck drivers.1 Therefore it was planned to develop a product that would deal especially
with those issues. The field in which the innovation is implemented is smart safety
bikerwear. The product will be a piece of clothing, either jacket or trouser, that lights
up because of the movement due to integrated glass fibers to mimimize and eliminate
the risk of beeing overseen. Moreover the product comprises an integrated sensor
which is able to measure a minimum distance for approaching objects to provide a
warning feature noise. It was planned, that the products are made out of synthetic
fibers like Polyester, Nylon or Polyurethane that is typical and common for durable
clothing and sportswear.2
The production method can be judged as being classical. The fabrics are woven and
cutted, the pieces are sewn together and the technologies are added. Some seams
might be sealed to increase weather resistance. Zippers and other additional items
like elastics are added. There is no need for special methods like seamless fully fashion
knitting. The products are purposed for increasing safety for bikers on the street but
they can also be worn to other sportage occasions like hiking, walking the dog or other
types of activies where an increased visibility is advantageous. Here the noise sensor
simply can be shut off when it is not needed.
When it comes to the pricing of the pieces an above average price will be charged.
Firstly, because in general high quality sports clothes are sold on a rather high price
level due to its technical circumstances and effort.3 Secondly because of the added smart features and therefore high material costs of the pieces as well as because of
the luxurious image and reputation of the company that it is produced for. Lastly one
can judge the market for such sports clothes as growing. Due to climate change,
people tend to use more environment friendly means of transport. On the other hand,
the growing number of accidents makes people to think more about how to increase
safety when being in the traffic on a bike. Therefore the demand for such type of
products is existing and moreover a growing potential can be expected.