POLISILK presents its first SMART-HORSE-RIDING prototype
On July 30th, the POLISILIK team together with its collaborators, presented and field tested the SMART-HORSE-RIDING prototype which they have been developing during the last year, thanks to the financial and technical support from SmartEEs.
SmartEEs is a European acceleration program, co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 R&D&I programme, aiming to help European companies to access new untapped markets and grow their businesses by integrating flexible electronics into their products.
POLISILK, leading manufacturer of yarns and fabrics for outdoor applications, has worked together with SENSING TEX as technology provider, to develop the first product demonstrator. The “SMART-HORSE-RIDING” breakthrough innovation consists in a smart half pad for the dressage (an equestrian discipline) market. The novel product integrates flexible electronics through printed conductive yarns and pressure sensors within a half pad (blanket positioned under the horse saddle). The different pressure points generated by the rider position on the horse are visualized through a custom app developed during the prototype stage.
The smart half pad fits within POLISILK product portfolio strategy of fabric end-use diversification towards higher added value products integrating flexible electronics.
POLISILK’s CEO contacts in equine centers and other professional riders, saddle fitters, etc., are being leveraged as the basis for further product validation and further scale-up through larger series demonstrators.
The SMART-HORSE-RIDING prototypes were tested at Oller del Mas equestrian center, close to POLISILIK facilities.
POLISILK, member of AEI Textils - The advanced textile materials cluster, invited the staff of the cluster to attend the demonstration event, as AEI Tèxtils support and network was key in the preparation stage and the success of the project.
Daniela Zavec, expert on smart textiles from TITERA (Slovenia) has also attended the event and she is also advising the company in its pathway towards new product lines of smart textiles integrating flexible electronics.
Since 2017, AEI Tèxtils is fostering the development and scaling-up of smart textiles, starting with the creation of CONTEXT network. Nowadays, besides POLISILK, four other cluster members, count on its support for the development of innovation projects to prototype functional demonstrators.
POLISILK is currently the leading company in the polypropylene multifilament sector, with a capacity of 400 tons per month, of which 70% is exported to the five continents.
The group has state of the art industrial facilities near Barcelona for vertical textile manufacturing including yarn manufacturing and fabric manufacturing (production and finishing) for outdoor applications.
The company adds value to its products by offering high quality and responding quickly and accurately to the requirements of its customers. Thanks to the equipment of its laboratory, the quality controls and the quality system ISO 9001: 2008 under which they work and ensure the quality standards demanded by the market. Thus, POLISILK has gained worldwide recognition in its field.
Marc Ponsa, CEO of POLISILK, considers both the support of the SmartEEs project and AEI Tèxtils cluster vital to identify the right partners and funding opportunities. His enthusiasm for horse-riding and his experience in the textile industry has propel his interest to develop a smart textile solution that merges both passions.