E-Textile Motion Capture System | IMU Garment Development
Explore an e-textile motion capture system integrating distributed IMU sensors, proprietary conductive pathways, wearable electronics, and custom garment engineering.
E-Textile Wearables
Duration: Ongoing
Development Period: 2025–2026
Client: Confidential — Germany
Application: Confidential Motion Capture Application
Current Status: Custom Garment Development in Progress
Confidentiality Note
The client’s specific end-use application, algorithms, data-processing methods, commercial strategy, and product-specific requirements are protected under a non-disclosure agreement and have not been disclosed on this page. This case study presents only E-Textile Wearables’ general technologies, development methods, proprietary platforms, and e-textile motion capture expertise.
Initial prototype of an IMU-based motion capture garment showing distributed sensor positions, textile based conductive pathways, and interconnections across the upper and lower body.
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Project Background
The client approached E-Textile Wearables with an early-stage concept for a garment-based motion capture system capable of collecting synchronized movement data from multiple areas of the body.
The objective was to create a practical wearable system that could maintain consistent sensor positioning while preserving the flexibility, fit, and comfort expected from a fitted garment.
Unlike camera-based motion capture systems or externally mounted sensor arrangements, the proposed solution required the sensors, electrical pathways, interconnections, and wearable electronics to be integrated into the garment structure.
E-Textile Wearables adapted its existing WearIMU wearable motion capture technology to provide the sensing and data-collection foundation for the project.
This allowed the development team to concentrate on wearable sensor integration, sensor positioning, garment engineering, conductive pathway routing, and system usability rather than developing the complete sensing architecture from the beginning.
Development Scope
E-Textile Wearables established a staged product-development process that allowed the sensing technology, garment integration, and client-side data development to progress in parallel.
Stage 1 — Modular WearIMU Harnesses
During the initial stage, we developed a series of detachable WearIMU sensor harnesses that could be attached to different garments.
These modular systems allowed the client to begin collecting movement data, evaluate different sensor locations, and progress its data-analysis work before the fully integrated garments were available.
Stage 2 — Garment Prototypes
The WearIMU system was subsequently integrated into commercially available fitted garments.
The prototype configuration included:
Six IMU positions in the upper-body garment
Six IMU positions in the lower-body garment
An additional integrated heart-rate sensor
Textile-compatible connections between the sensors and electronics
This stage allowed the team to evaluate sensor stability, garment fit, electrical routing, wearer comfort, and system operation during movement.
Current Stage — Purpose-Designed Garments
The project has now progressed to the development of custom upper- and lower-body garments designed specifically around the WearIMU sensing architecture.
The garment structure, sensor locations, conductive pathways, electronic modules, and assembly requirements are now being considered together from the beginning of the design process.
This staged approach reflects our wider custom e-textile product development capability, from early concept validation and modular prototypes through to purpose-designed wearable products.
Prototype demonstration of the WearIMU motion capture system integrated into a fitted garment, showing real-time arm-movement sensing and live motion-data visualization on the connected laptop.
Key Engineering Challenges of an E-Textile Motion Capture System
Developing an e-textile motion capture system requires the sensing hardware, conductive pathways, interconnections, and garment structure to function together without significantly reducing the flexibility or wearability of the textile.
For this project, several important engineering challenges were addressed using technologies and experience already developed by E-Textile Wearables.
Using E-Textile-Friendly IMU Sensors
Conventional IMU modules are often designed for rigid electronics rather than direct integration into garments. Their size, board layout, connection method, and mechanical structure may therefore make textile integration difficult.
This challenge was addressed using our WearIMU motion capture platform, which includes an e-textile-friendly IMU system developed from the ground up specifically for wearable and textile-integrated applications.
Because the sensing architecture was already designed for e-textile use, the project did not require the team to adapt large, general-purpose IMU modules for garment integration. This inherently reduced development risk and provided a more suitable foundation for the upper- and lower-body sensing system.
Creating Stretchable Conductive Pathways
The conductive pathways needed to accommodate the stretch of the garment without producing significant changes in electrical resistance.
E-Textile Wearables addressed this challenge using its proprietary stretchable conductive pathways, which are used as a core integration technology across our e-textile projects.
The pathways are designed to provide:
Stretchability of up to approximately 50%
Minimal resistance change during stretching
Strong recovery after repeated extension
Flexibility suitable for fitted garments
A pathway structure developed with washability in mind
This existing conductive pathway technology meant that the project did not need to begin by developing a new stretchable wiring system. It also allowed the team to focus on pathway placement, garment construction, sensor integration, and overall system performance.
Washability testing has not yet been completed for the current garment prototypes. Formal wash testing is planned for the next development stage after the custom garment design has been finalized.
Developing Durable Sensor Interconnections
Creating durable connections between the conductive pathways, IMU sensors, and wearable electronics is another major challenge in e-textile development.
These connection points are exposed to repeated garment movement, bending, handling, and mechanical strain. Poorly designed interfaces can become weak points even when the conductive pathways themselves perform well.
This challenge was addressed through our years of experience in e-textile interconnection development.
The WearIMU system also includes purpose-designed circuit boards optimized for textile integration, allowing the conductive pathways and electronic modules to be connected more practically and securely.
This existing circuit-board architecture inherently simplified the creation of durable interconnections compared with adapting general-purpose electronics that were not designed for garment integration.
Preserving Garment Stretch and Flexibility
Integrating multiple sensors and conductive connections into a fitted garment can reduce its natural stretch, particularly when several wires or rigid components are layered across the fabric.
E-Textile Wearables addressed this challenge by routing the conductive harnesses along suitable garment seams and structural lines wherever practical. This approach helps preserve the stretch of the main fabric areas while also providing more controlled locations for pathway integration and mechanical support.
The WearIMU system also allows multiple IMU sensors to communicate through a single shared data line, rather than requiring separate groups of wires to be layered throughout the garment for each sensor.
This inherently reduces the number of conductive pathways required within the garment, helping to limit:
Excessive pathway layering
Added stiffness
Garment bulk
Restrictions to fabric stretch
Interconnection complexity
By combining seam-based routing, stretchable conductive pathways, e-textile-friendly sensors, and a shared data architecture, the system can preserve more of the garment’s original flexibility while supporting distributed motion sensing.
Project Progress and Current Status
The client initially received modular WearIMU harnesses that enabled early-stage movement-data collection and evaluation of different sensor positions.
E-Textile Wearables then integrated the sensing system into commercially available upper- and lower-body garments. These prototypes provided practical information about sensor placement, garment behaviour, conductive pathway routing, interconnection design, wearer comfort, and overall system usability.
The project has now progressed to the development of purpose-designed motion capture garments created specifically around the WearIMU system.
Current development work focuses on refining:
Sensor positioning and stability
Conductive pathway routing
Durable sensor-to-electronics interconnections
Garment construction and fit
Preservation of garment stretch
Wearer comfort
Protection of the electronic components
Overall integration of the motion capture system
Once the custom garment design has been finalized, the next stage will include washability testing of the integrated garment system. This testing will evaluate the behaviour of the conductive pathways, interconnections, sensor integration, and garment construction under the planned washing conditions.
The project will continue through iterative e-textile prototyping and testing as the custom garment system advances toward a more refined wearable product.
Developing an E-Textile Motion Capture System?
We support companies developing IMU motion capture garments, wearable sensor systems, smart clothing, rehabilitation technologies, and human-movement monitoring products.
Our team can assist with sensing architecture, proprietary conductive pathways, wearable electronics, garment integration, prototyping, testing, and custom product development.
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