A smart gear apparatus is provided. The smart gear apparatus includes wearable material, a smart material pad and a control element. The smart material pad is integrated with or at least partially encased in the wearable material and includes smart material having a variable hardness and a control element. The control element is operably coupled to the smart material pad and is configured to adjust the variable hardness of the smart material thereof.

An athletic wear includes at least one of an athlete garment, a helmet, a glove, a wristband, a headband, a mouth guard, and a pad. A plurality of sensors and at least one camera are integrated into the at least one of the athlete garment, the helmet, the glove, the wristband, the headband, the mouth guard, and the pad. A processor is in signal communication with the plurality of sensors and the at least one camera for receiving, analyzing, and transmitting data signals obtained by the plurality of sensors and the at least one camera. The plurality of sensors are configured to obtain a wearer's physiological data, position data and movement data.

A garment worn on the upper body is provided with a back support system that can be selectively actuated as needed, and otherwise remains relatively unobtrusive when not actuated. The back support system includes a selectively inflatable and deflatable air bladder positioned at a desired location on a rear part of the garment opposite a portion of the wearer's back that needs support. Preferably, the air bladder is disposed within a pocket or compartment, preferably defined on an interior side of the garment, thereby leaving the exterior of the garment relatively unaltered in a visual sense. In a particular example, the air bladder of the present invention has a physical configuration designed to support specific portions of the spinal column as well as adjoining musculature.

The waist protection belt includes a main belt unit and a tightening belt unit. The main belt unit includes a material that releases far infrared radiation and negative ions, and graphene, and that is adapted to be worn around the waist of a user. The tightening belt unit includes a tightening belt member that is elastically stretchable and that includes a middle belt part positioned on the main belt unit, and two side belt parts extending respectively and oppositely from the middle belt part in a left-right direction. The side belt parts are separably connectable to each other so that the tightening belt member surrounds and elastically tightens the main belt unit.

Smart shirts for assisting lumbar spine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a clothing body worn by a user; a sensor unit that includes a first sensor and a second sensor provided on a rear surface of the clothing body and disposed in a thoracic portion and a sacral portion, respectively, to measure a motion of the lumbar spine; a control unit that analyzes an operation state of the lumbar spine based on a measurement value of the sensor unit; and a band portion that is worn on the clothing body and surrounds the waist.

A clothing article having a support member is provided. The clothing article includes an outer shell, a portion of the outer shell being dimensioned to fit loosely on a body of a wearer. A support structure has a support member supporting the body of the wearer when positioned thereon, and fits snugly on the body of the wearer, At least one tether portion extends between the support member and at least one connection region that is secured to the outer shell. At least a part of the at least one tether portion is dimensioned to enable the outer shell to move substantially freely relative to the support member when the clothing article is worn by the wearer.

A posture support garment includes: a shirt, shoulder band, and waist band. The shirt envelops the wearer's torso and shoulders, and is an elastic material configured to apply a first level of compression. The shoulder band is fixedly secured to the shirt to encircle the left and right shoulders of the shirt and crisscross at a back region, and is made of a first compression material configured to apply a second level of compression. The waist band is formed with a first portion that extends around the back of the wearer's waist and is made of the first compression material to apply the second level of compression, and a second portion that extends around the front of the wearer's waist, and is made of a second compression material configured to apply a third level of compression, where the third level of compression is less than the second level of compression.

A body trunk supporter provided with: a belt-like lower band section that is adapted to be wrapped around and positioned at the pelvis of a user; an X-shaped stretchable middle band section that has a pair of lower end parts joined to the lower band section and that presses areas of the lumbar region of the user; and a pair of upper band sections that are jointed to a pair of upper end parts of the middle band section and that are adapted to be wrapped around and positioned at the chest of the user, wherein the pair of lower end parts of the middle band section are configured to be joined to areas ranging from positions that are immediately lateral to the pelvis of the user to adjacent anterior positions thereof in the lower band section; and the pair of upper band sections are configured to be separated from each other and to extend in bilaterally opposite directions in an unfolded state, and are configured to be wrapped around and positioned near fifth to tenth ribs of the chest of the user.

The present disclosure relates to flexible energy absorbing systems and body armor, helmets and protective garments incorporating flexible energy absorbing systems. A flexible energy absorbing system may comprise a first plurality of cells having a first re-entrant geometry and a second plurality of cells having a second, different geometry. The first plurality of cells and the second plurality of cells may comprise an elastomeric material.

Disclosed herein are wearable articles and methods for the manufacture and use thereof. The wearable articles can comprise compression elements, gripping elements, and support elements containing a rate-sensitive materials which can operate to prevent injury.