95 research outputs found

    Integration of conductive materials with textile structures : an overview

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    In the last three decades, the development of new kinds of textiles, so-called smart and interactive textiles, has continued unabated. Smart textile materials and their applications are set to drastically boom as the demand for these textiles has been increasing by the emergence of new fibers, new fabrics, and innovative processing technologies. Moreover, people are eagerly demanding washable, flexible, lightweight, and robust e-textiles. These features depend on the properties of the starting material, the post-treatment, and the integration techniques. In this work, a comprehensive review has been conducted on the integration techniques of conductive materials in and onto a textile structure. The review showed that an e-textile can be developed by applying a conductive component on the surface of a textile substrate via plating, printing, coating, and other surface techniques, or by producing a textile substrate from metals and inherently conductive polymers via the creation of fibers and construction of yarns and fabrics with these. In addition, conductive filament fibers or yarns can be also integrated into conventional textile substrates during the fabrication like braiding, weaving, and knitting or as a post-fabrication of the textile fabric via embroidering. Additionally, layer-by-layer 3D printing of the entire smart textile components is possible, and the concept of 4D could play a significant role in advancing the status of smart textiles to a new level

    Recent advances of wearable antennas in materials, fabrication methods, designs, and their applications: state-of-the-art

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    The demand for wearable technologies has grown tremendously in recent years. Wearable antennas are used for various applications, in many cases within the context of wireless body area networks (WBAN). In WBAN, the presence of the human body poses a significant challenge to the wearable antennas. Specifically, such requirements are required to be considered on a priority basis in the wearable antennas, such as structural deformation, precision, and accuracy in fabrication methods and their size. Various researchers are active in this field and, accordingly, some significant progress has been achieved recently. This article attempts to critically review the wearable antennas especially in light of new materials and fabrication methods, and novel designs, such as miniaturized button antennas and miniaturized single and multi-band antennas, and their unique smart applications in WBAN. Finally, the conclusion has been drawn with respect to some future directions

    Wearable electrochemical biosensors in North America

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    Tremendous research and commercialization efforts around the world are focused on developing novel wearable electrochemical biosensors that can noninvasively and continuously screen for biochemical markers in body fluids for the prognosis, diagnosis and management of diseases, as well as the monitoring of fitness. Researchers in North America are leading the development of innovative wearable platforms that can comfortably comply to the human body and efficiently sample fluids such as sweat, interstitial fluids, tear and saliva for the electrochemical detection of biomarkers through various sensing approaches such as potentiometric ion selective electrodes and amperometric enzymatic sensors. We start this review with a historical timeline overviewing the major milestones in the development of wearable electrochemical sensors by North American institutions. We then describe how such research efforts have led to pioneering developments and are driving the advancement and commercialization of wearable electrochemical sensors: from minimally invasive continuous glucose monitors for chronic disease management to non-invasive sweat electrolyte sensors for dehydration monitoring in fitness applications. While many countries across the globe have contributed significantly to this rapidly emerging field, their contributions are beyond the scope of this review. Furthermore, we share our perspective on the promising future of wearable electrochemical sensors in applications spanning from remote and personalized healthcare to wellness

    Wearable antennas: a review of materials, structures, and innovative features for autonomous communication and sensing

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    Wearable antennas have gained much attention in recent years due to their attractive features and possibilities in enabling lightweight, flexible, low cost, and portable wireless communication and sensing. Such antennas need to be conformal when used on different parts of the human body, thus need to be implemented using flexible materials and designed in a low profile structure. Ultimately, these antennas need to be capable of operating with minimum degradation in proximity to the human body. Such requirements render the design of wearable antennas challenging, especially when considering aspects such as their size compactness, effects of structural deformation and coupling to the body, and fabrication complexity and accuracy. Despite slight variations in severity according to applications, most of these issues exist in the context of body-worn implementation. This review aims to present different challenges and issues in designing wearable antennas, their material selection, and fabrication techniques. More importantly, recent innovative methods in back radiations reduction techniques, circular polarization (CP) generation methods, dual polarization techniques, and providing additional robustness against environmental effects are first presented. This is followed by a discussion of innovative features and their respective methods in alleviating these issues recently proposed by the scientific community researching in this field

    Blending the Material and Digital World for Hybrid Interfaces

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    The development of digital technologies in the 21st century is progressing continuously and new device classes such as tablets, smartphones or smartwatches are finding their way into our everyday lives. However, this development also poses problems, as these prevailing touch and gestural interfaces often lack tangibility, take little account of haptic qualities and therefore require full attention from their users. Compared to traditional tools and analog interfaces, the human skills to experience and manipulate material in its natural environment and context remain unexploited. To combine the best of both, a key question is how it is possible to blend the material world and digital world to design and realize novel hybrid interfaces in a meaningful way. Research on Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) investigates the coupling between physical objects and virtual data. In contrast, hybrid interfaces, which specifically aim to digitally enrich analog artifacts of everyday work, have not yet been sufficiently researched and systematically discussed. Therefore, this doctoral thesis rethinks how user interfaces can provide useful digital functionality while maintaining their physical properties and familiar patterns of use in the real world. However, the development of such hybrid interfaces raises overarching research questions about the design: Which kind of physical interfaces are worth exploring? What type of digital enhancement will improve existing interfaces? How can hybrid interfaces retain their physical properties while enabling new digital functions? What are suitable methods to explore different design? And how to support technology-enthusiast users in prototyping? For a systematic investigation, the thesis builds on a design-oriented, exploratory and iterative development process using digital fabrication methods and novel materials. As a main contribution, four specific research projects are presented that apply and discuss different visual and interactive augmentation principles along real-world applications. The applications range from digitally-enhanced paper, interactive cords over visual watch strap extensions to novel prototyping tools for smart garments. While almost all of them integrate visual feedback and haptic input, none of them are built on rigid, rectangular pixel screens or use standard input modalities, as they all aim to reveal new design approaches. The dissertation shows how valuable it can be to rethink familiar, analog applications while thoughtfully extending them digitally. Finally, this thesis’ extensive work of engineering versatile research platforms is accompanied by overarching conceptual work, user evaluations and technical experiments, as well as literature reviews.Die Durchdringung digitaler Technologien im 21. Jahrhundert schreitet stetig voran und neue GerĂ€teklassen wie Tablets, Smartphones oder Smartwatches erobern unseren Alltag. Diese Entwicklung birgt aber auch Probleme, denn die vorherrschenden berĂŒhrungsempfindlichen OberflĂ€chen berĂŒcksichtigen kaum haptische QualitĂ€ten und erfordern daher die volle Aufmerksamkeit ihrer Nutzer:innen. Im Vergleich zu traditionellen Werkzeugen und analogen Schnittstellen bleiben die menschlichen FĂ€higkeiten ungenutzt, die Umwelt mit allen Sinnen zu begreifen und wahrzunehmen. Um das Beste aus beiden Welten zu vereinen, stellt sich daher die Frage, wie neuartige hybride Schnittstellen sinnvoll gestaltet und realisiert werden können, um die materielle und die digitale Welt zu verschmelzen. In der Forschung zu Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) wird die Verbindung zwischen physischen Objekten und virtuellen Daten untersucht. Noch nicht ausreichend erforscht wurden hingegen hybride Schnittstellen, die speziell darauf abzielen, physische GegenstĂ€nde des Alltags digital zu erweitern und anhand geeigneter Designparameter und EntwurfsrĂ€ume systematisch zu untersuchen. In dieser Dissertation wird daher untersucht, wie MaterialitĂ€t und DigitalitĂ€t nahtlos ineinander ĂŒbergehen können. Es soll erforscht werden, wie kĂŒnftige Benutzungsschnittstellen nĂŒtzliche digitale Funktionen bereitstellen können, ohne ihre physischen Eigenschaften und vertrauten Nutzungsmuster in der realen Welt zu verlieren. Die Entwicklung solcher hybriden AnsĂ€tze wirft jedoch ĂŒbergreifende Forschungsfragen zum Design auf: Welche Arten von physischen Schnittstellen sind es wert, betrachtet zu werden? Welche Art von digitaler Erweiterung verbessert das Bestehende? Wie können hybride Konzepte ihre physischen Eigenschaften beibehalten und gleichzeitig neue digitale Funktionen ermöglichen? Was sind geeignete Methoden, um verschiedene Designs zu erforschen? Wie kann man Technologiebegeisterte bei der Erstellung von Prototypen unterstĂŒtzen? FĂŒr eine systematische Untersuchung stĂŒtzt sich die Arbeit auf einen designorientierten, explorativen und iterativen Entwicklungsprozess unter Verwendung digitaler Fabrikationsmethoden und neuartiger Materialien. Im Hauptteil werden vier Forschungsprojekte vorgestellt, die verschiedene visuelle und interaktive Prinzipien entlang realer Anwendungen diskutieren. Die Szenarien reichen von digital angereichertem Papier, interaktiven Kordeln ĂŒber visuelle Erweiterungen von UhrarmbĂ€ndern bis hin zu neuartigen Prototyping-Tools fĂŒr intelligente KleidungsstĂŒcke. Um neue DesignansĂ€tze aufzuzeigen, integrieren nahezu alle visuelles Feedback und haptische Eingaben, um Alternativen zu Standard-EingabemodalitĂ€ten auf starren Pixelbildschirmen zu schaffen. Die Dissertation hat gezeigt, wie wertvoll es sein kann, bekannte, analoge Anwendungen zu ĂŒberdenken und sie dabei gleichzeitig mit Bedacht digital zu erweitern. Dabei umfasst die vorliegende Arbeit sowohl realisierte technische Forschungsplattformen als auch ĂŒbergreifende konzeptionelle Arbeiten, Nutzerstudien und technische Experimente sowie die Analyse existierender Forschungsarbeiten

    Fibre electronics: towards scaled-up manufacturing of integrated e-textile systems

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    The quest for a close human interaction with electronic devices for healthcare, safety, energy and security has driven giant leaps in portable and wearable technologies in recent years. Electronic textiles (e-textiles) are emerging as key enablers of wearable devices. Unlike conventional heavy, rigid, and hard-to-wear gadgets, e-textiles can lead to lightweight, flexible, soft, and breathable devices, which can be worn like everyday clothes. A new generation of fibre-based electronics is emerging which can be made into wearable e-textiles. A suite of start-of-the-art functional materials have been used to develop novel fibre-based devices (FBDs), which have shown excellent potential in creating wearable e-textiles. Recent research in this area has led to the development of fibre-based electronic, optoelectronic, energy harvesting, energy storage, and sensing devices, which have also been integrated into multifunctional e-textile systems. Here we review the key technological advancements in FBDs and provide an updated critical evaluation of the status of the research in this field. Focusing on various aspects of materials development, device fabrication, fibre processing, textile integration, and scaled-up manufacturing we discuss current limitations and present an outlook on how to address the future development of this field. The critical analysis of key challenges and existing opportunities in fibre electronics aims to define a roadmap for future applications in this area

    Smart sensor systems for wearable electronic devices

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    Wearable human interaction devices are technologies with various applications for improving human comfort, convenience and security and for monitoring health conditions. Healthcare monitoring includes caring for the welfare of every person, which includes early diagnosis of diseases, real-time monitoring of the effects of treatment, therapy, and the general monitoring of the conditions of people's health. As a result, wearable electronic devices are receiving greater attention because of their facile interaction with the human body, such as monitoring heart rate, wrist pulse, motion, blood pressure, intraocular pressure, and other health-related conditions. In this paper, various smart sensors and wireless systems are reviewed, the current state of research related to such systems is reported, and their detection mechanisms are compared. Our focus was limited to wearable and attachable sensors. Section 1 presents the various smart sensors. In Section 2, we describe multiplexed sensors that can monitor several physiological signals simultaneously. Section 3 provides a discussion about short-range wireless systems including bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), and resonance antenna systems for wearable electronic devices

    End-of-life implications of electronic textiles - Assessment of a converging technology

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    Contemporary innovation in the converging technology sectors of electronics and textile aims at augmenting functionality of textiles, making them “smart”. That is, integrating electronic functions such as sensing, data processing, and networking into wearable products. Embedding electronic devices into textiles results in a novel category of products: electronic textiles (e-textiles). Whereas researchers and innovators are pushing forward technological development little attention has been paid to the end-of-life implications of such future products. E-textiles may not only entail promising business opportunities but also adverse environmental impacts. This study examines potential end-of-life implications, which could emerge once future e-textiles are disposed of. Using the methodological framework of technology assessment an overview of current innovation processes for e-textiles is established and an outlook on future applications areas is provided. Further, information on technologies and materials composition of e-textiles is mapped as a basis for assessing the prospective implications at the end of their useful life. The findings suggest that widespread application of e-textiles could result in the emergence of a new waste stream. There are various parallels to electronic waste, which causes profound environmental problems nowadays. Risks include potential release of toxic substances during the disposal phase. And, loss of scarce materials is to be expected if no recycling takes place. This would accelerate the depletion of resources. Recycling of textile integrated electronic devices will be difficult. From the analysis it can be deduced that today’s schemes for takeback, recycling and disposal would not be sufficient to cope with waste e-textiles in an environmentally benign manner. Instead, discarded e-textiles would find their way into solid waste and increase the existing environmental problems of waste disposal. The study concludes with recommendations for policy makers and technology developers on how a waste preventative technology design could be achieved

    Electrocardiogram and Impedance Pneumography Measurement Module Design for Textile-Integrated Solution

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    A wearable electronics is a quickly broadening category in sport, wellbeing and entertainment products. Also a fully textile-integrated electronics is used increasingly to improve the user experience. The medical industry is interested to exploit especially the latter technology for a supported long-term home care. The problem is, there are only wellbeing promoting textile-integrated electronics at the moment. These products recommend for example how to prevent an injury, but do not provide the actual diagnostic value. Purpose of this master®s thesis was to increase knowledge of the biomedical instrumentation about diagnostics textile-integrated electronics – especially designed for long-term home monitoring of the elderly. For achieving this matter, into shirt integrated an electrocardiography (ECG) and impedance pneumography (IP) measurement module will be developed as a part of the Disappearing Sensors (DISSE) project. Preparation, like technical designing and functionality testing, have been made during this thesis for fulfilling described target. The functionality testing was implemented from three point of views: electrodes, measurement position, and measuring techniques for the ECG and IP. As electrodes were used commercial disposable electrodes, textile electrodes, and printed electrodes. Different measurement positions were laying, sitting, standing and walking slow and fast. As measurement techniques, 2- and 4-electrode measuring methods were compared by using commercial evaluation board. The work also considered a choose of the shirt and its final form in the prototype, which textile-integrated version will be completed during Autumn 2016. From electrodes the most stable results were gathered with disposal ones. However, the skin irritation caused by these electrodes is not suitable for a long-term monitoring. For the textile and printed electrodes skin irritation did not seem to be a problem. Random instabilities of the textile electrodes were reason why the printed electrodes were chosen to be the best alternative. Measuring positions, excluding walking, fulfilled the minimum goal to detect pulse and breathing. In walking tests heart and respiration rates can be detected, despite occasional errors, only with disposal electrodes. In order to achieve the this with printed electrodes, the skin-electrode-contact should be improved. From two measuring techniques the 4-electrode measuring method had worse signal quality, but pulse and breathing were detected with more accuracy compared to 2-electrode measuring method
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