'Smart' Underwear May Help Prevent Back Pain

With just a tap, wearable device eases stress, fatigue on lower back muscles, researchers say

Mechanized "smart" undergarments may be the answer to back pain, according to researchers.

The Vanderbilt University engineers have created an undergarment that eases stress on the low back and activates only when a wearer needs it.

"I'm sick of Tony Stark [the fictional Iron Man] and Bruce Wayne [Batman's alter ego] being the only ones with performance-boosting supersuits. We, the masses, want our own," Karl Zelik, principal investigator on the project, quipped in a university news release. "The difference is that I'm not fighting crime. I'm fighting the odds that I'll strain my back this week trying to lift my 2-year-old."

That same kind of back strain got the assistant professor of mechanical engineering thinking about wearable tech solutions.

Made of nylon canvas, Lycra, polyester and other materials, the "smart" underwear feels and behaves like regular clothes, according to researchers.

It has one section for the chest and another for the legs. The sections are connected by straps across the middle back, with natural rubber pieces at the lower back and glutes.

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