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What is FIBRE?
FIBRE is a first of its kind academic research platform in the field of textile-based wearable technologies operating under The KITE Research Institute banner at Toronto Rehab. As a member of University Health Network, the number one research hospital in Canada, our focus is providing exceptional human-centred design, accessibility, and health.
We are a consortium of academic, corporate, and commercial partnerships, and are committed to creating textile-based technologies as solutions to a healthier world.
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Our Mission
Our mission is to make care accessible to people through technology by designing, introducing, and integrating smart textiles across the healthcare system.
Our Vision
To become the world's leading research platform for developing and commercializing smart wearable health technologies. Medical wearables have the potential to monitor patient health remotely, restore function, allow partner industries to reach and exceed their potential and provide the ability to treat patients in isolated locations who have limited access to resources.
Our Aim
Smart Materials and Textiles
World-leading materials science experts will develop synthetic polymeric fibres (polyester, nylon) that integrate nanoparticles to create customized mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Biologists and biomedical engineers will develop textile-based electrodes that enhance regenerative medicine, wound healing, and deep brain stimulation to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson disease. Following the construction of these biomaterials, researchers integrate smart components seamlessly into textiles and garments, enabling them to sense bodily changes (i.e., heart function, temperature, movement), generate energy (ambient radio frequencies, patient movement), transmit data, and deliver therapeutic interventions.
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Prototype System Integration and Validation
Researchers will gauge the effects of designed technologies on clinical outcomes and delivery of care. Care pathways will be developed to integrate the technologies into rehabilitative procedures by establishing clinical decision rules, initiating validation studies, and integrating data into clinical databases. Once the information has been collected, researchers will use machine learning algorithms to analyze smart garment data and develop closed-loop systems. These will enable the garments to respond to stimuli and deliver responsive therapeutic interventions.
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Inclusive Textile Design and Fabrication
Garments will be co-designed by fashion and human-centred design experts, caregivers, clinicians, engineers, and end-users such as patients who are disabled, aging or have other conditions. Integrating industry-leading design and testing during prototyping stages will ensure superior quality control and promote commercial viability.
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Director of Fibre
Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi is a Canada Research Chair in Cardio-Respiratory Engineering, Senior
Scientist at UHN’s KITE Research Institute, and Associate Professor at the University of
Toronto. She leads the FIBRE platform, developing smart textile wearables to improve
access to healthcare.
Her work focuses on digital health solutions for cardio-respiratory conditions through the
SleepdB lab, which uses advanced clinical tools to simulate real-world environments. A
champion of inclusion and accessibility, she chairs UHN Research’s IDEA committee and
leads national initiatives training researchers in health equity.
Dr. Yadollahi has published 80+ papers, presented at 150+ conferences, filed 3 patents, and
delivered 78 invited talks worldwide.
FIBRE by the numbers
50
+
Researchers
8
Academic Partners
4
Hospital Partners
13.5
B
Medical Wearables Market
Canadian Academic Partners
International Academic Partners
Partner with FIBRE
Join our growing network of researchers, designers, clinicians, and companies working to shape the future of wearable health tech.
Why Partner with Us?
1
Partner with Canada's #1 Hospital Network
2
Tap into a Global Network of Change makers
3
Co-Create with a World-Class Interdisciplinary Team
4
Lead the Future of Wearable Health Tech
Advancing Care Through Collaboration
1. Shared Vision: We welcome partners who align with our mission to deliver care through innovative technologies.
2. Multidisciplinary Expertise: Our team includes experts from across the GTA and beyond, spanning diverse industries and backgrounds.
3. Inclusive Collaboration: We value all specializations and integrate partners directly into our structure.
4. Access & Resources: Gain access to diverse patient populations, academic networks, and industrial expertise for product validation.
5. Early Innovation: Be among the first to shape the future of interdisciplinary care and smart textile tech.
6. Strategic Location: Based in the GTA, with hubs in Toronto—ranked top 5 for tech talent in North America.
7. Broad Impact: Together, we'll transform not just healthcare, but also education, transportation, and sports through smart health tech.
The History of FIBRE
The Fabric Based Research Platform (FIBRE) launched in 2020 with a clear goal: to develop a centre to bridge the gap between industry, academia and start-ups in the domain of textile-based wearable technologies. FIBRE aims to establish new standards, raise awareness, and provide training and education.
Tony Chahine, Founder and CEO of Myant, is at the heart of this vision. His pioneering work in textile computing inspired the creation of FIBRE. Recognized as a trailblazer in the field, Chahine has been instrumental in turning textiles into conduits of data, fusing fabric and digital intelligence to empower continuous, human-centric health monitoring. His innovations paved the way for integrating wearables into clinical and everyday care settings and sparked a movement to reimagine how people connect to their health and wellness.
Chahine envisioned creating an industrial and academic ecosystem that could fuel the creation of an entire new industry in Canada focused on textile computing. His goal was to initiate a model to develop new curriculum and micro credits, deploying this concept through colleges and universities – a place where start-ups, existing industry, researchers from around the world could collaborate, learn, train and develop new technology in textile computing positioning Canada as a global leader in the field.
Starting in 2015, researchers at the University Health Network's KITE Research Institute partnered with Myant to explore the potential of this emerging field. These early collaborations – anchored by Chahine's strategic insight and technological leadership – led to the creation of a multidisciplinary academic ecosystem focused on smart fabrics and personalized health solutions.
"We are grateful for our collaboration with Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) and KITE" said Tony Chahine.
"Myant was the key contributor to these early conversations and helped to inform the vision and mission for FIBRE, which led to the formation of the academic partnership that exists today," said KITE Director Dr. Milos R. Popovic.
Link to website
For more information about Myant's ongoing innovations in the field of textile computing, please visit:
www.myant.caContact Us
