Objective: Evaluate Hexoskin performance on a stationary bike against "gold standard" laboratory equipment and develop adjustment models for future use in field settings.
Methods: Compared respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) measured by the Hexoskin shirt to simultaneous spirometry and full 12-lead electrocardiogram during a laboratory based incremental exercise test on a stationary bicycle.
Results: Data from 17 participants demonstrated Hexoskin VT and VE had the best agreement in the submaximal exercise level (discrepancies less than or equal to 5.3%) with larger discrepancies observed at rest (less than or equal to 15.3%) and at maximal exercise level (less than or equal to 11.7%). The discrepancies for HR and RR were lower at all levels (less than 10%). Adjusting for sex and body weight allowed for a single VE algorithm across the entire range of effort (r = 0.89).
Conclusion: These discrepancies are acceptable for field use in comparison to the ranges typical of bicycle commuting.