ARTS AND MUSIC IN CULTURAL DISCOURSE
VI International Scientific and Practical Conference. November 10 - November 11, 2017, Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Rezekne, Latvia

Smart clothing is enabled by different technologies coupled with the innovations in the fields of textile materials and their structures, i.e. nanotechnologies, microelectronics, wearable devices, IT biotechnology, electro spinning, etc. The era of smart clothing and intelligent materials has started with military applications – from bullet resistant body armour to chemically protective clothing; from biological or chemical sensors to self-repairing materials. Nowadays there are many more applications of smartness in garments. They are not only civilian police, fireman, emergency responders, but also mountain climbers, sports and medical personnel. Even businessmen with built-in wearable microcomputers. The aim of this paper is to present historical development of smart garments, to describe their assortment and peculiarities of materials they are made of. Also, to discuss the role of design process in the development of such smart products.