Project name
ACL IMPEX 2020 – Study in the field of sleep sciences.
 
Project code (NUP)
POCI-01-0247-FEDER-022987
 
Objective of operation
To strengthen research, technological development and innovation.
 
Region of intervention
Guimarães, Northern Region
 
Beneficiary
ACL Impex, L.^da
 
Date of approval
12/14/2016
 
Start date
1/25/2017
 
Completion date
1/24/2018
 
Total eligible cost: 20,000.00 EUR
Financial support from the European Union: FEDER – 15,000.00
 
Objectives, activities and expected/achieved results
ACL Impex, L.^da. is a company that designs, develops, and manufactures home textiles, more specifically traditional bed linen, such as comforters, sheets, pillows, and other products. Currently, these products are characterized solely by standards related to comfort and well-being, design, aesthetics, and decorative elements. In the company’s opinion, the most significant advances that should occur in the coming years concerning this type of product will be in the area of functionalities related to:

• Monitoring of biomedical parameters;
• Temperature and humidity regulation;
• Antibacterial characteristics.

These developments are at a very early stage of development at international level. Bed linen – given its characteristics and prolonged use – has a high potential for incorporating innovative functionalities for healthcare applications, namely:

• Sleep monitoring;
• Mitigating or eliminating sleep disorders.

The issues that influence the quality of sleep and the understanding of these phenomena are key to developing solutions for this vital function of the body.
 
This project aims to take a pioneering approach to textile-based product innovation with therapeutic potential in the area of sleep. The aim of this project is therefore to hire an entity with a multidisciplinary knowledge base to carry out studies and tests to identify problems and potential innovative solutions that can be integrated into the products produced by the company.