Role of Wearable Health Devices in Public Health: Developing Flexible Electronics for Seamless and Continuous Health Monitoring

The strategy for personalized medicine is the incorporation of regular health check-ups and wearable health devices into public health campaigns. These innovations have the potential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems by enabling early detection, improved management of chronic conditions, and provision of real-time personal health data to individuals. To achieve this, problems related to the accuracy of devices used, security of data stored in these devices, compliance with usage requirements by consumers, and relations with the current healthcare system must be addressed. A solution to these barriers has been proposed as a Non-Invasive Flexible Sensors for Health Monitoring (N-IFS-HM) approach which involves making sensors that are lightweight, attractive looking, and provide accurate continuous health information without disturbing the users during their daily activities. Through detailed simulation studies conducted in different healthcare settings, this paper examine the dependability and effectiveness of N-IFS-HM implementation. Consequently, based on simulation results done on delicate sensors such as these, vital signs, activities and minimal discomforting healthcare products can be traced accurately. According to this finding, wearable digital technology with sophisticated flexible electronics can revolutionize how public health is assessed

Comparison of silver-plated nylon (Ag/PA66) e-textile and Ag/AgCl electrodes for bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)

Recently, researchers have adapted Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) as a new approach to objectively monitor wounds. They have indicated various BIA parameters associated to specific wound types can be linked to wound healing through trend analysis relative to time. However, these studies are conducted using wet electrodes which have been identified as possessing several shortcomings, such as unstable measurements. Thus, the adaption of e-textile electrodes has become an area of interest in measuring biosignals. E-textile electrodes are known to possess a significantly large polarization impedance (Zp) that potentially influences these biosignal measurements. In this study we aim to identify the suitability of e-textile electrodes to monitor wounds using BIA methodologies. By adapting suggested methodologies conducted in-vivo from previous studies, we used an ex-vivo model to observe the behaviour of e-textile electrodes relative to time. This was compared to common clinical wet electrodes, specifically Ag/AgCl. The objective of this study was to identify the BIA parameters that can be used to monitor wounds with e-textile electrodes. By analysing the BIA parameters relative to time, we observed the influence of Zp on these parameters.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Skin Stories: Charting and Mapping the Skin. Research using analogies of human skin tissue in relation to my textile practice.

The practice based research SKIN STORIES:: CHARTING AND MAPPING THE SKIN deals with issues across the fields of art, design, technology, biology and material science. In an attempt to bridge the gap between aesthetics and technology by investigating the potential of new and industrial materials, the epidermis is used as a metaphor for creating innovative textile surfaces which behave, look or feel like skin. As a result of theoretical enquiry and practical experiments, interactive design solutions have been developed to a prototype stage for possible application in domestic environments and public spaces as well as for integration into body related design concepts. The development of such functional and interactive textile membranes will hopefully enable individuals to experience a polysensual and responsive environment and it is this aspect which is considered to be an original contribution to knowledge in the textiles field. The aim of this written thesis is not only to illustrate the journeys and investigations made along the way and to demonstrate the outcome of the research, but also to situate the practical work in its cultural, critical and technological context. This thesis is accompanied by an interactive CD-ROM which is a visual representation of my 'research map' and holds a record of the practical work carried out during the research project. The ideas of the project SKIN STORIES:: CHARTING AND MAPPING THE SKIN have been developed and tested during a 3-year research programme towards a Ph. D. at The London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London

Performance evaluation of textile based passive RFID antennas as wearable sensors

Conformal and stretchable wearable sensors provide real-time information about individual's health conditions. There are a lot of vital signs and parameters of the human body that are supposed to be sensed by the sensors like, body movement, body temperature, Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electroencephalogram (EEG) etc. Hence, there are a lot of health tracking devices available in the market for different purposes. One of the most important sensors are the hydration/moisture/humidity sensors. These sensors are required for the health fitness and for the medical care of the patients. However, as far as the skin sensors are concerned, they are facing one important challenge, which is to have better contact with the body to have better results to analyze as well as providing ease and comfort to the patient/user. In this work, Radio frequency identification technology (RFID) has been used to achieve and overcome the challenge. Since RFID is a prevailing technology in which a microchip in a label used to transmit data when the label is exposed to radio waves. RFID technology can easily be understood by the concept of student cards used in our university where student cards are working as the Tag and the readers planted on the door slots read them. The data/information read by the reader is stored in the database for every specific tag (transponder), to be accessed it later. Passive Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID tags are here used as moisture sensors. The tags for the mentioned challenged used here for different application as stated before, are specifically textile tags. There are two types of textiles (Substrate) that have been used; cotton, which is organic in nature and stretchable synthetic textile, which is a mixture of viscose and polyester. The IC chip containing the information is attached to the antenna that is designed on the substrate which is acting as a Tag (Sensor), one with glue and the other with embroidery. The most specific part is the tag is embroidered with silver thread, which is conductive in nature. Hence embroidery is the fabrication method as well as the vital part of making the tags. The embroidery is accomplished with the help of domestic sewing machine. To get different results, different embroidery designs have been used; single line (less dense), horizontal embroidery and vertical embroidery. Moreover, six tags are fabricated using cotton substrate and two tags are fabricated using stretchable substrate, both substrates have IC antenna attached with sewing as well as glue as mentioned before. When the fabricated sensors (Tags) were tested in the anechoic chamber, all the sensors have different behavior with different read ranges as well as different peak frequencies. The objective was to test the humidity/moisture evaluation on the sensors. Hence, the sensors were very well exposed to the moisture and were tested again. The sensors with less dense embroidery (Single Line) were wetter than the dense embroidery (vertical and horizontal designs), hence, making the frequency more affected in terms of putting the frequency at a lower level in the less dense embroidered sensors than the dense ones. After being dried up, after 48 hours, the sensors were almost back the initial read range values. Therefore, the frequency difference between the initial read ranges and the moist read ranges is of vital importance and all the tags are having different behaviors. As the tags are textile in nature and are embroidered like a simple cloth, they are easy to wear and have very better contact with the body to have better results in terms of moisture evaluation. So further fabrication technique in the prospect of UHF RFID has multiple applications e.g. wounds sensor inside the bandages, soil moisture sensor, moisture/humidity leakage sensor etc. Hence, they have very vital advantages, which include that they are passive, cost-effective, and simple

Oral application of L-menthol in the heat: From pleasure to performance

When menthol is applied to the oral cavity it presents with a familiar refreshing sensation and cooling mint flavour. This may be deemed hedonic in some individuals, but may cause irritation in others. This variation in response is likely dependent upon trigeminal sensitivity toward cold stimuli, suggesting a need for a menthol solution that can be easily personalised. Menthol’s characteristics can also be enhanced by matching colour to qualitative outcomes; a factor which can easily be manipulated by practitioners working in athletic or occupational settings to potentially enhance intervention efficacy. This presentation will outline the efficacy of oral menthol application for improving time trial performance to date, either via swilling or via co-ingestion with other cooling strategies, with an emphasis upon how menthol can be applied in ecologically valid scenarios. Situations in which performance is not expected to be enhanced will also be discussed. An updated model by which menthol may prove hedonic, satiate thirst and affect ventilation will also be presented, with the potential performance implications of these findings discussed and modelled. Qualitative reflections from athletes that have implemented menthol mouth swilling in competition, training and maximal exercise will also be included

Sports in Digital Era

The thesis's primary purpose is to demonstrate the growth of the digital era on the sports industry for awareness and better management. Moreover, it aims to explain the digital technology revolution and its effect on physical activities and sports. The paper presents a social analysis of sports regarding the effects of the IV Industrial Revolution, driven by an unprecedented level of development in materials sciences, digital technology, and biology. The future views on the evolution of the sports industry and options for the sports manager in the phase of digital transition are illustrated. The conclusion summarizes the implications and represents the direction of the sports industry.O objetivo desta tese é demonstrar o crescimento da era digital na indrústia desportiva para a consciencialização e uma melhor gestão. Além disso, visa explicar a revolução tecnológica digital e a sua influência na atividade física e desporto. O documento apresenta uma análise social do desporto em relação aos efeitos da IV Revolução Industrial, impulsionada pelo sem precedente nível de desenvolvimento nas ciências materiais, tecnologia digital e biologia. O futuro da evolução da indústria do desporto e as opções dos gestores desportivos na fase de transição do digital. A conclusão resume as implicações e reflete a direção da indústria do desporto

Market analysis and strategic plan for the implementation of a sports innovation hub for the FIFA World Cup 2030 application

In this market analysis and strategic plan, we examine the potential for a sports innovation hub to support the shared application of Portugal, Spain and Ukraine for the World Cup 2030. We conduct a thorough analysis of the sports industry, narrow down potential partners and stakeholders, and develop a strategic plan for implementation. Our plan includes a detailed budget and financial model, a marketing and communication strategy, and recommendations for overcoming challenges and risks

Medical automated movement detector (MedAMD )

Treball desenvolupat en el marc del programa "European Project Semester".The 2021 EPS spring team composed of Sem, Rebekka, Bogdan, Daniel and Laurent has been working on the project proposed by the CRAAX Lab. The initially proposed name of the project was “Design of an ad-hoc adaptable sensor system for the 6MWT”. Since the scope of the project partially changed since then, the name was changed to “Medical Automated Movement Detector (MedAMD)”. The challenge is to develop a product that simplifies different tests that physicians run to know the desaturation level in patients with hypoxia, an illness in which the blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen. The CRAAX Lab has as of today two working prototypes, each specifically designed for one test. Our objective is to develop a device that is able to function for a multitude of tests, therefore facilitating the testing. In order to achieve that, we combined the technology of two devices, built by the CRAAX team and modified them so it would send data about the different movements of the patients to an already existing app, by Bluetooth. The scope of this project encompassed the analysis of the existing prototypes, conceptualizing our device, creating the overall design of both the casing of the electronic components and the strapping system to hold our device in place and build a functioning electronic circuit with the required set of sensors. The tests we are aiming to facilitate with our device require the device to be either strapped to the patient or to a cone. Ideally our device would send the data recorded by the sensors to an already existing app, via Bluetooth. As we have not had access to the existing coding and do not possess the necessary skills to code it on our own, we consider the successful bluetooth connection of our device to a bluetooth testing app (Serial Bluetooth Terminal) a measure of success. A future step to fully implement this device would be the coding necessary for the communication with an app. To conclude, we have successfully printed the redesigned casing for the electronic components, built a working strap system and the sensors have successfully sent signals to the bluetooth app ‘Serial Bluetooth Terminal’.Incomin