W. L. Gore & Associates has announced a collaboration with a digital health start-up Bonbouton to explore material solutions in advanced sensor technology and enable practical smart fabrics for assistive apparel and digital health applications.

Bonbouton is a New York City-based team of innovators in inkjet-printed, low-cost graphene temperature sensors. With technology licensed from the Stevens Institute of Technology, Bonbouton has emerged as an industry leader in microsensor technology, developing mechanically flexible and molecularly thin sensors for monitoring skin temperature with graphene oxide (GO).

Temperature sensing materials

The initial phase of the Gore-Bonbouton agreement will focus on collaborative research in the area of temperature sensing materials. This explorative process will lay a foundation for future applications of sensor technology and conductive inks in digital health, chronic care management and smart fabrics.

“Bonbouton is an ideal partner. Its technology shows enormous potential for expanding Gore materials into digital health applications and other markets,” said Paul Campbell, co-leader, Gore Innovation Center. “Bonbouton is widely and well regarded for its potential in graphene as a sensing modality. We look forward to collaborating with them both from a research and business standpoint.”

“Our work with Gore, and specifically the Innovation Center, is an exciting development. Its materials and expertise are what will allow us to improve on existing technology and take development to the next level,” commented Linh Le, CEO and founder, Bonbouton. “Gore is known for a science-backed approach to comfort and wearability. Coupled with its collaborative resources and exploratory mindset, this makes Gore a model partner.”

Fostering innovation

According to Gore, this joint development agreement is evidence of the company’s continuing mission to foster innovation by providing insight and support for start-ups in the digital health arena. Gore aims to help these organisations facing challenges in advanced materials development by offering expertise, co-working space and access to versatile materials. The Gore Innovation Center offers a prototyping facility where start-ups, researchers, customers and corporations can collaborate and innovate.

“We are thrilled to be working with Bonbouton to explore our combined potential, especially in applications where it can enhance quality of life for those with chronic conditions,” said Linda Elkins, co-leader, Gore Innovation Center.

“Gore has a long-standing tradition of pushing boundaries in the material science space, and we aim to lend that expertise to organizations like Bonbouton, whose mission is to improve lives through smart fabrics and advanced sensor technology.”

www.gore.com