Can textile electrodes deliver stimulation, not just sense?

Yes. Fully textile stimulation electrodes matched hydrogel performance in testing, and in a single-participant feasibility study, closed-loop NMES regulated finger grasp force in a participant with quadriplegia to under 15% steady-state error (0.67 s settling). That result is a feasibility demonstration, not broad efficacy.

Are they durable enough for repeated therapy?

In testing, textile stimulation electrodes showed no degradation after at least 30 wash cycles and stayed functionally intact after 1,000 stretch cycles at 50% of break strain.

How is a neurostimulation program designed safely?

Stimulation is delivered under defined parameters, current-density limits, electrode placement, and control boundaries, with response safeguards and appropriate clinician, operator, or user oversight, user-specific fitting, intended-use validation, and any applicable regulatory pathway determined per program.

Textile neurostimulation

Targeted electrical stimulation (FES and NMES) from knitted electrodes — no rigid pads — demonstrated in closed-loop grasp-force control.

A knitted neurostimulation garment delivering stimulation to a limb

How it's used today

Textile stimulation electrodes

Knitted FES/NMES electrodes that replace hydrogel pads inside a garment.

Research

Rehabilitation garment

Wearable FES/NMES therapy garments, developed with clinicians.

Research-supported development

Closed-loop stimulation system

Sensing, control, and stimulation combined for responsive stimulation, with safeguards and oversight.

Research (feasibility)

Stimulation that moves the muscle

Delivers controlled electrical stimulation to muscles or nerves from textile electrodes — the actuation side of a textile interface, which can be paired with sensing to close the loop. Demonstrated configurations cover FES and NMES; other stimulation modes such as TENS are assessed during technical scoping.

How it's built

From the skin-side knit to the electronics that read it — the layers behind the capability.

Interface location: Over target muscles — for example the forearm, a limb, or the trunk, within a garment.
Actuation element: Textile stimulation electrodes configured for the required output; demonstrated constructions include stainless-steel and PEDOT-coated knitted electrodes.
Textile construction: Machine-produced knitted electrodes in garment form factors.
Control boundary: Stimulation can be paired with sensing for closed-loop control; parameters, safeguards, and oversight are defined per program.

What the research shows

Independent studies — each result, and exactly what it covers.

View all neurostimulation research

Fully textile electrodes vs hydrogel
View study
Result
Matched hydrogel performance; no degradation after ≥30 washes; functionally intact after 1,000 stretch cycles at 50% of break strain.
Tested
Machine-knitted stainless-steel + PEDOT-coated stimulation electrodes vs hydrogel; wash and stretch durability.
Scope & limitation
Electrode-level performance and durability for this construction — not a therapeutic-outcome claim.
Closed-loop NMES (grasp force)
View study
Result
Under 15% steady-state error with a 0.67 s settling time (SD 0.42 s).
Tested
Feedforward-feedback NMES with textile electrodes regulating individual finger grasp force in one participant with quadriplegia.
Scope & limitation
A single-participant feasibility study — it demonstrates closed-loop control, not broad efficacy.
FES garments (proof of concept)
View study
Result
Delivered FES comfortably when moistened, with a lower sensory threshold than gel on forearm muscles.
Tested
Shirts and pants with conductive-yarn-knit electrodes delivering functional electrical stimulation.
Scope & limitation
A proof of concept for the garment form factor.

Fully textile electrodes vs hydrogel
View study
Result
Matched hydrogel performance; no degradation after ≥30 washes; functionally intact after 1,000 stretch cycles at 50% of break strain.
Tested
Machine-knitted stainless-steel + PEDOT-coated stimulation electrodes vs hydrogel; wash and stretch durability.
Scope & limitation
Electrode-level performance and durability for this construction — not a therapeutic-outcome claim.
Closed-loop NMES (grasp force)
View study
Result
Under 15% steady-state error with a 0.67 s settling time (SD 0.42 s).
Tested
Feedforward-feedback NMES with textile electrodes regulating individual finger grasp force in one participant with quadriplegia.
Scope & limitation
A single-participant feasibility study — it demonstrates closed-loop control, not broad efficacy.
FES garments (proof of concept)
View study
Result
Delivered FES comfortably when moistened, with a lower sensory threshold than gel on forearm muscles.
Tested
Shirts and pants with conductive-yarn-knit electrodes delivering functional electrical stimulation.
Scope & limitation
A proof of concept for the garment form factor.

Neurostimulation, answered

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Can textile electrodes deliver stimulation, not just sense?
Yes. Fully textile stimulation electrodes matched hydrogel performance in testing, and in a single-participant feasibility study, closed-loop NMES regulated finger grasp force in a participant with quadriplegia to under 15% steady-state error (0.67 s settling). That result is a feasibility demonstration, not broad efficacy.
Are they durable enough for repeated therapy?
In testing, textile stimulation electrodes showed no degradation after at least 30 wash cycles and stayed functionally intact after 1,000 stretch cycles at 50% of break strain.
How is a neurostimulation program designed safely?
Stimulation is delivered under defined parameters, current-density limits, electrode placement, and control boundaries, with response safeguards and appropriate clinician, operator, or user oversight, user-specific fitting, intended-use validation, and any applicable regulatory pathway determined per program.