Sensorable garments?

A group of researchers in the US, Italy, and France have made transistors made from cotton fibres. The cellulose that makes up cotton is naturally insulating, so to make a fibre conductive, the team coated each strand with gold nanoparticles. Polymers such as pentacene and PEDOT are used to provide the dielectric and semiconducting properties. The team considers that the most realistic application areas reside with sensors. For example, fire-fighter's uniforms might be able to detect dangerous chemicals, while security personnel could be alerted to airborne signatures of explosives or drugs.