LONDON, England (CNN)--
From fitness device sensors that monitor sweating while running in the gym, to underwear designed to detect cancer cells, things in our wardrobe have been quietly going through a revolution.
Over the past decade, there have been more and more ways in which technology has been incorporated into our clothing projects.
Trials of smart clothing capable of repelling insects and covering up unpleasant smells such as cigarette smoke have proven successful and have begun selling.
Last year, a design student at Cornell University designed a dress that could prevent colds and flu, and most importantly, it did not need to be cleaned.
At the same time, textrodden Delaware-
The company has developed a sports bra that monitors the heart rate and movement of runners.
The company has a patent for elastic textile electrodes that can be incorporated into clothing.
We can expect to see, no. too-
In the distant future, there are fabrics-
Experts say it can play a role in cooling down, deodorant, moisturizer and even vitamins.
\"When it comes to things you can do with clothing and technology, the world is your oyster.
\"You are limited only by your imagination, really,\" said Dr. Adam Best, a research scientist who developed a shirt that would generate electricity just by moving, like Pei.
Researchers at the University of Australia\'s wearable computer lab say cameras, microphones, accelerometer and GPS devices can now be plugged into clothing.
\"Your whole body can be equipped with a range of sensors,\" Bruce Thomas
The lab director told CNN.
Analysts estimate that the industry is currently valued at about $0. 4 billion and could reach $0. 7 billion by 2010, military and Avionics Magazine reported.
Perhaps one of the most exciting developments in this area is the ongoing work on a smart bra for breast screening that allows the wearer to detect breast cancer early on.
Professor Elias Siores of the University of Bolton in the UK said that bras can detect cancer before the tumor develops and spreads to the surrounding area.
Crucially, Professor Siores said that bras can also monitor the effectiveness of any breast cancer treatment that the wearer is receiving.
The smart bra works using a microwave antenna system device that is woven into the fabric of the bra.
These antennas receive any abnormal temperature changes in the breast tissue that are usually associated with cancer cells.
It is hoped that the bra will be sold in the store within a few years.
However, some people still doubt whether the science behind the bra can be realized.
It is also suspected that bras can replace traditional screening methods, such as breast X-rays.
This is because the idea behind the bra is that the demand for blood flow will be higher as the tumor grows.
Subsequently, an increase in blood flow will cause the temperature to rise around the affected area of the breast, thus warning the wearer.
Critics say blood flow rates may increase for various reasons.
\"Benign growth and non-malignant inflammatory changes may also increase blood flow,\" said Anne Rosenberg, a breast surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia . \".
Despite some silence, work in this booming area is still far ahead.
Scientists in Europe are in the advanced stages of developing clothing that they say will be able to monitor the body\'s vital signs and detect diseases and infections early on.
The European Commission has sponsored a research project center to develop biochemical sensing technologies that are compatible with textile integration, called Biotex.
The first version will be able to monitor sweat by measuring acidity, salinity and sweat rate.
Shirley Coyle, an engineer at the national sensor research center at City University Dublin, Ireland, is involved in the Biotex project.
\"If clothes can speak, they can tell us a lot about our bodies,\" said Dr. Coyle . \".
\"They are the interface between our body and our environment and will prove to be an important tool for healthcare in the future.
We are making garments with sensors that do not interfere with the patient\'s comfort with wires.
\"It\'s a whole new area, but every day we\'re exploring ways to add new features to textiles.
It has such great potential.
\"Our clothes will certainly play a very different role in the future,\" said Dr. Coyle . \".
Project cooperation in Biotex
Coordinator Jean Luprano stressed that these new \"smart textiles\" are intended to complement rather than replace traditional diagnostic methods, especially when someone goes to see a doctor.
\"In this case, even if it is not accurate, the wearable monitoring system can help doctors get additional information that they will not get without it if the patient is not in the hospital.