A German research centre has begun looking into medicine-enriched clothes that could treat ailments and help cure diseases, a researcher said last week.
Dirk Hoefer, senior resercher at Germany's Hohenstein medical research centre, said they were working on developing micro-capsules to treat skin diseases such as eczema with materials woven into clothing.
They would be activated on contact with the patient's skin.
"This is a step forward from earlier ideas such as anti-dandruff stockings that only offer relief but do not actively treat ailments, " Hoefer said. Smart clothes would make life easier for a lot of people.
German newspapers have said some of the future products being studied include T-shirts to counter headaches, socks to combat foot fungus, vitamin-enriched stockings and silver-coated underwear for people suffering from dermatits.