A capacitive sensor device, including
electrode materials carried by fabric substrates, is provided for monitoring relative movement of an expanding and / or contracting structure, such as the mammalian chest and / or
torso, corresponding to a performance parameter related, for example, to
respiratory function. Some embodiments include non-
woven fabric substrates comprising compliant portions configured to stretch only in a selected direction and non-compliant portions upon which
electrode materials are disposed. In some embodiments,
layers of fabric substrates, carrying corresponding first and second
electrode materials, are configured to cooperate to form a
parallel plate capacitive sensor having a variable
capacitance corresponding to a
relative motion of the fabric substrates.