About Martha

University of Delaware Ph.D. Graduate Transforms Wearable Technology into Fashionable Science

Newark, DE – Wearable technology has been on the rise in recent years. Dr. Martha Hall, the Director of Innovation of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware and an experienced fashion designer, is focusing her attention on one particular effort in the industry – designing comfortable, high-performance clothing with the goal of holistically improving health using a patient-centered approach.

Dr. Hall, who holds a Ph.D. in Biomechanics and Movement Science, is also trained in kinesiology, human development and coding for wearable electronics and biomechanical analysis. Her work includes protective apparel of athletes, exoskeletal garments to promote mobility, clothing embedded with biofeedback monitoring, adaptive fashion and smart footwear/medical devices. Dr. Hall holds four patents in wearable technology and is an expert in user-centered function design.

The Delaware native uses her design expertise and knowledge of wearable technology to merge fashion and function in order to address the broad spectrum of needs in various patient populations and highlight the importance of patient-centered design in health sciences.

By bringing together fashion and engineering, Dr. Hall has assisted Michele Lobo, a physical therapy researcher at UD, in creating PlaySkin Lift. Their published article in Delaware Public Media highlights the creation of a pediatric exoskeleton solution for babies that can be worn as a comfortable garment to support movement.

Most recently, Dr. Hall was featured in an article published by the New York Times in her collaboration with Haobo Zhang, a UD design student with a focus on designing underwear specifically for transgender women.

In addition to her role as the Director of Innovation of Health Sciences at UD, Dr. Hall is an assistant professor in Health Sciences with affiliation in the Fashion and Apparel Studies Department and the Horn Entrepreneurship program.

As an opportunity for students to further study concepts related to the type of research she explores, Dr. Hall offers a design internship through UD’s Fashion and Design school. The aspects of her academic work inspire design challenges – whether this may be augmenting human performance, issue of sustainability and/or beyond.

If you would like more information regarding Dr. Hall and her projects, please contact Liam Maddock, Executive VP, Marketing at 520-202-4375 or [email protected].