Myant and Helly Hansen Unveil Line of Active Thermal Workwear with Dynamic Temperature Regulation at CES 2020, Demonstrating the Possibilities of Work in a World Connected by Textile
TORONTO, January 10, 2020 – Myant Inc., pioneers in Textile Computing™, and Helly Hansen, the global technical and safety apparel brand, unveiled a line of active thermal workwear at CES 2020 (January 7-10, 2020 in Las Vegas) that dynamically regulates body temperature for workers in cold climates. The garments in this line (including a base layer top, leggings, socks, a balaclava, and gloves) are wire-free, embedded with textile sensors that can measure body temperature and react by actively delivering heat through the textile to maximize comfort and enhance productivity. Active thermal workwear is one of the first applications of Myant’s larger vision to transform the future of “work” via textiles that can sense and react to the human body, forging a deeper connection between a worker and their body, their team, the predictive power of AI, and their IoT-enabled workplaces. The transformation of connectedness at work will ultimately create safer, healthier and more productive work environments for all.
Textile: A Bidirectional Interface to the Worker to Enhance Safety and Productivity
While enterprises have been implementing biometric solutions for a number of years, the challenges that have been addressed have largely been related to biometric security. While biometrics have certainly created more secure workplaces, there still exists a tremendous opportunity to measure and react to the human body in order to optimize productivity on both an individual and enterprise-wide level. This is a particularly meaningful issue for highly regulated heavy industries where rules often restrict workers from wearing “devices” on their bodies as a safety measure.
Recognizing these challenges, Myant has been applying its unique expertise in textiles that can sense and react to the human body to create biometric solutions for workers (particularly in heavy industry) that help manage and actively optimize productivity and safety. One such development along these lines has been a project with Helly Hansen (global leaders in personal protective equipment) on a line of connected apparel that dynamically regulates body temperature for outdoor workers through a combination of body temperature sensing and active delivery of heat, all in wire-free textile form factors. The line-up that was unveiled at CES 2020 included a base layer top, leggings, socks, a balaclava, and gloves that work together to dynamically regulate body temperature for cold-climate workers. This ability to manage comfort for workers without adding bulk that may impede movement and affect productivity, and delivered in a form factor that meets strict regulatory requirements, has the potential to change the way work is done in cold climates.
This line of garments is just one example of how closing the loop via textiles that both sense and react can change how workers stay safe and productive in a world connected by textiles. Myant and Helly Hansen are also developing a safety shoe that can measure posture and conduct gait analysis in order to track, anticipate and potentially prevent same-level slip, trips and falls on the job site. Another application would be connected garments that continuously track ECG, heart rate variability, movement and other measures to assess worker fatigue, enabling enterprises to potentially prevent tired workers from hurting themselves or others. The HYDRO_BOT active moisture management technology at the center of Myant’s recently announced partnership with the Swiss company Osmotex also has tremendous potential, enabling garments that can actively transport sweat away from the body to help keep core temperature within an acceptable range.
The real transformative power of connected textiles in the work environment comes when all these garments are feeding data to a centralized platform, effectively creating a holistic view of worker health and safety. Enterprises that can meaningfully measure worker wellness, leverage AI to anticipate potential safety issues, and optimize workforce productivity all through connected workwear will hold a true competitive advantage. Moreover, the ability to demonstrate compliant work behavior to insurers could result in dramatic savings for the enterprise. This is applicable not only in heavy industries but also in office work environments where workforce health & wellness has become an increasingly greater focus for enterprises in the past few years.
Myant at CES 2020
The application of textile computing to connected work is just one manifestation of what is possible on the Myant Platform, a platform which provides a continuous and ambient connection between people and their bodies, their communities, and their IoT-enabled environments across all aspects of daily life (i.e. home, work, and play). Myant’s presence at CES 2020 was designed to encourage others to envision these possibilities, inspiring the world to challenge the way they see everyday textile and to reimagine the value that these objects can provide.
For more information, please contact:
Brian Fung
Director of Marketing at Myant
brian.fung@myant.ca, 416-423-7906 x401
Frank Florio
VP, Strategy & Business Development at Myant
frank.florio@myant.ca, 416-423-7906 x421
About Myant Inc.
Myant has created the world’s first platform that continuously and ambiently connects people to their bodies, to each other, and to the world around them. Using connected textiles that can sense and react to the human body and a platform that enables machine learning driven health and performance outcomes, Myant is on a mission to transform human connectedness. With an extensive patent portfolio, key exclusive relationships within the textile computing industry, a multidisciplinary team of researchers, engineers, data scientists, fashion* designers and knitting specialists, and over 80,000 ft² of manufacturing capacity, Myant is changing the way people across society connect. Connect with us to find out how we can help you create innovative solutions powered by connected textiles and the Myant Platform.
Visit myant.ca and skiin.com to learn more.
About Helly Hansen
Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop professional grade apparel that helps people stay and feel alive. Through insights drawn from living and working in the world’s harshest environments, the company has developed a long list of first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics more than 140 years ago. Other breakthroughs include the first fleece fabrics in the 1960s, the first technical base layers in the 1970s, made with Lifa® Stay Dry Technology, and today’s award winning and patented H2Flow™ temperature regulating system.
Helly Hansen is a leader in technical sailing and performance ski apparel, as well as premium workwear. Its ski uniforms are worn and trusted by more than 55,000 professionals and can be found on Olympians, National Teams, and at more than 200 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations around the world.
Helly Hansen’s outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear are sold in more than 40 countries and trusted by outdoor professionals and enthusiasts around the world. In 2018, Helly Hansen joined the Canadian Tire Corporation family of companies. To learn more about Helly Hansen’s latest collections, visit hellyhansen.com. To learn more about Canadian Tire Corporation, visit corp.canadiantire.ca.
