655 research outputs found

    From A to Z: Wearable technology explained

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    Wearable technology (WT) has become a viable means to provide low-cost clinically sensitive data for more informed patient assessment. The benefit of WT seems obvious: small, worn discreetly in any environment, personalised data and possible integration into communication networks, facilitating remote monitoring. Yet, WT remains poorly understood and technology innovation often exceeds pragmatic clinical demand and use. Here, we provide an overview of the common challenges facing WT if it is to transition from novel gadget to an efficient, valid and reliable clinical tool for modern medicine. For simplicity, an A–Z guide is presented, focusing on key terms, aiming to provide a grounded and broad understanding of current WT developments in healthcare

    Wearable performance

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    This is the post-print version of the article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2009 Taylor & FrancisWearable computing devices worn on the body provide the potential for digital interaction in the world. A new stage of computing technology at the beginning of the 21st Century links the personal and the pervasive through mobile wearables. The convergence between the miniaturisation of microchips (nanotechnology), intelligent textile or interfacial materials production, advances in biotechnology and the growth of wireless, ubiquitous computing emphasises not only mobility but integration into clothing or the human body. In artistic contexts one expects such integrated wearable devices to have the two-way function of interface instruments (e.g. sensor data acquisition and exchange) worn for particular purposes, either for communication with the environment or various aesthetic and compositional expressions. 'Wearable performance' briefly surveys the context for wearables in the performance arts and distinguishes display and performative/interfacial garments. It then focuses on the authors' experiments with 'design in motion' and digital performance, examining prototyping at the DAP-Lab which involves transdisciplinary convergences between fashion and dance, interactive system architecture, electronic textiles, wearable technologies and digital animation. The concept of an 'evolving' garment design that is materialised (mobilised) in live performance between partners originates from DAP Lab's work with telepresence and distributed media addressing the 'connective tissues' and 'wearabilities' of projected bodies through a study of shared embodiment and perception/proprioception in the wearer (tactile sensory processing). Such notions of wearability are applied both to the immediate sensory processing on the performer's body and to the processing of the responsive, animate environment. Wearable computing devices worn on the body provide the potential for digital interaction in the world. A new stage of computing technology at the beginning of the 21st Century links the personal and the pervasive through mobile wearables. The convergence between the miniaturisation of microchips (nanotechnology), intelligent textile or interfacial materials production, advances in biotechnology and the growth of wireless, ubiquitous computing emphasises not only mobility but integration into clothing or the human body. In artistic contexts one expects such integrated wearable devices to have the two-way function of interface instruments (e.g. sensor data acquisition and exchange) worn for particular purposes, either for communication with the environment or various aesthetic and compositional expressions. 'Wearable performance' briefly surveys the context for wearables in the performance arts and distinguishes display and performative/interfacial garments. It then focuses on the authors' experiments with 'design in motion' and digital performance, examining prototyping at the DAP-Lab which involves transdisciplinary convergences between fashion and dance, interactive system architecture, electronic textiles, wearable technologies and digital animation. The concept of an 'evolving' garment design that is materialised (mobilised) in live performance between partners originates from DAP Lab's work with telepresence and distributed media addressing the 'connective tissues' and 'wearabilities' of projected bodies through a study of shared embodiment and perception/proprioception in the wearer (tactile sensory processing). Such notions of wearability are applied both to the immediate sensory processing on the performer's body and to the processing of the responsive, animate environment

    Wearable payment for young women - Utilizing rapid prototyping in iterative conceptual design

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    This is a production-based thesis work made aside my work as a 3d-printing specialist in Microsoft Mobile`s Design Department`s 3d-lab. The topic is designing a jewelry-like payment device for young women. A production-based thesis work was made to discover the process of designing for wearable technology and the practical issues related to it. The main process-guiding assumption in this thesis is that familiar, jewelry-like form would be more acceptable for young women in context of everyday wearable device. Important goal for 3d-lab is to knit rapid prototyping as an integral part of design process, so I utilized rapid prototyping as my main methodology for studying the subject. The goals for thesis work were to learn more about wearable devices field and practical design issues relevant to it. For author the goal was to improve my skills both in iterative design concept -creation and prototyping. The goal for the concept-creation was to prototype an idea for acceptable, wearable, contactless alternative for traditional debit card in small everyday purchases, targeting to young women. The methods used in this thesis work are literature research, benchmarking, rapid prototyping, expert interview and user-centered design methods. The process consisted of background research, making re-brief, technical concept creation, making several product design ideas, testing and reviewing the ideas, selecting one design for further development and finally testing and reviewing the appearance model and interaction prototype with potential end users. The project`s end result is a design concept depicted by prototypes and pictures, and a written thesis report about the design process and philosophy behind the design work. The main focus of this written report is in product design, the minor focus areas are designing interaction and concept creation. Concentrating deeply to all product development areas was not purposeful in thesis framework, so I decided to put most effort on describing the product design development

    Electric Corset:an approach to wearables innovation

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    <p>One criticism of electronic textiles and wearable technology is that instead of being integrated into the modern wardrobe, the electronic garment is perceived as the ‘other’, as an ‘unusual’ item within the wardrobe. Contemporary fashion is a field of play in which individuals constantly manage personal expressions of social belonging and transgression, at the same time as it closes down the potential for new forms as a result of increasingly fast fashion supply chains. The Electric Corset project proposes that the uptake of wearables is compromised when development is based on modern categories of dress/dressing, and proposes that designers look to obsolete and ‘in-between’ items of dress to rethink the foundations of wearables development. In collaboration with Nottingham Museums and Galleries Costume and Textiles Collection, we have reproduced a small selection of such items, and recast them as ‘sacrificial’ toiles to provide a non-precious basis for embodied experimentation. The paper describes some of the barriers to innovation in wearable technologies, and frames our approach through the twin concepts of deconstruction and reconstruction in fashion theory. It reports on our experiences of embodied responses to the toiles within the making process, and presents early findings from a pilot study using improvisation.</p

    Smart Second Skin and Scent Whisper at Siggraph 2005

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    The annual Cyber Fashion Show was hosted by Psymbiote, the technology-clad cyborg and produced by Charmed Technology. The show featured a variety of wearable computers, head-mounted displays, smart clothes, luminous clothing and accessories, futuristic club wear, and CAD/CAM jewellery and bodywear. It also featured contributions from the Banff New Media Institute, the MIT Media Lab, WIN Wearable Fashion Group, ViewStation, (whisper research group), the Wearable Fashion Group at Keio University, SONY CSL Paris, The Innovation Centre @ Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design, CuteCircuit, eMagin, Elise Co, Tina Gonsalves, Laura Bardier, and a number of other experimental artists, progressive designers, and hi-tech corporations. The wide-ranging selection of products, innovative prototypes, and unique creations projected the future realms of body-technology assimilation. Scent Whisper ‘Scent Whisper’ is a wireless jewellery set inspired by the comic hero Spiderman. It can be worn by two people and works by the first user whispering a secret into the spider’s abdomen which has a humidity sensor embedded in a brooch. A message is ‘scent by a wireless web’ to a the second user wearing a wireless bombardier beetle brooch. The beetle brooch retaliates by spraying a scent (or poison) to a lover (or enemy) dependent upon the response from the humidity sensor embedded in the spider. This jewellery device is able to dispense airborne nano-litre sized droplets of fragrance at about 20,000 droplets per second using lab-on-a-chip technology that allows efficient scent delivery SmartSecondSkin The SmartSecondSkin Dress is a conceptual garment that concentrates on a more active approach to fashion offering direct life-enhancing and analgesic assistance through different mechanisms’ whilst soothing, stimulating, motivating or invigorating the wearer. The dress demonstrates a new way to deliver fragrances for health, wellbeing and stress-reduction. It mimics the human body, in particular the circulation and nervous system, senses and scent glands. The dress interacts with human emotions whereby the aroma dimension is an integral part of the wearer’s sensory experience. It is made from two layers of while organza silk with medical tubes in-between, containing coloured liquid that demonstrate a selection of different fragrances embedded within the garment. The fragrances are diffused depending on the different moods and emotions of the user. The tubes represent an “aroma rainbow”, so that the fabric gives the impression it is creating an olfactory experience. The fundamental advantage is the use of body sensors to determine ‘colour therapeutic’ scent release when a person is stressed, with the ability to shield a ‘Scentient Being’ (the user) from a negative mood they should be protected from. The benefits are for everyone, as recent research shows that fragrance has a positive effect on brain activity to improve mental and physical health. The dress therefore enhances mental and physical well-being, whilst acting as a medium for communicating thoughts or emotions through smell, our most ancient and primitive sense

    Understanding wrist splint user needs and personalisation through codesign

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    Wrist splints are a common treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, however their effectiveness is compromised by patients not wearing splints as often as prescribed. Previous research has identified a number of reasons for non-compliance, but typically lacks insights that could lead to improved splint design.This thesis investigates the motivators for patients to wear and not wear their wrist splints and, the impact of personalisation of splint appearance on patient wear. The work is based on the premise that digital design and manufacturing processes, such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D Printing, can produce bespoke splints on demand.The research begins with a literature review across the core areas of: splinting, additive manufacture, product appearance and personalisation. This literature review identifies gaps in knowledge from which research questions are established for the work.The research employs a qualitative, generative design research approach and, follows a codesign framework employing telling, making and enacting tools. The thesis is made up of three studies. The first study is a sensitisation study and uses design probes to prepare the participants for the research and begin exploring the problem space. The second is a comprehensive study into participants splint wear behaviour and uses context mapping and scenario picture card tools to investigate the motivators for participants to wear and not wear wrist splints, along with positive and negative outcomes or wearing/not wearing splints. The final study uses a personalisation toolkit to elicit patient needs for a future wrist splint design and investigate self-reported expectations regarding compliance of patients who used the toolkit.The research finds that patient compliance is affected by practical and aesthetic limitations of current splints. It identifies 4 motivating factors to wear a splint and 10 motivating factors to not wear a splint. Additionally, it identifies 6 positive outcomes of wearing splints, 6 negative outcomes of wearing splints, 3 positive outcomes of not wearing splints and 3 negative outcomes of not wearing splints. Requirements for an improved splint design are established and form the basis of the design for a prototype personalisation toolkit. Testing of this toolkit reveals that patients are keen to own more than one splint and personalise splints to match the scenario in which it is to be worn. Patients reported that they expected to be more compliant with a personalised splint when compared to their current splint.</div

    The business opportunities of implementing wearable based products in the health and life insurance industries

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    The ability to collect biometric data continuously was recently enabled by the development and massification of wearable technologies - computers that are incorporated into items of clothing and accessories which can be worn on the body - unlocking huge opportunities for health and life insurers. Although a great deal of research has been done regarding the technical aspects of these devices, very few works explore the business and managerial implications of implementing wearables into insurance products. Through the combination of secondary data and in-depth expert interviews, this work analyses the impact of wearables and wearable data in the insurance value chain, identifying the main opportunities and challenges to leverage such a technology. This research concludes that in spite of the current narrow use of wearable devices as engagement tools in insurance wellness programs designed to drive user loyalty, this technology has the potential to accelerate the underwriting process, support preventive care, expand the customer base, enable dynamic pricing and enhance the customer experience as part of a connected health ecosystem. Customer adoption, data privacy and legislation are some of the main obstacles for insurers to leverage this technology, on top of the necessary IT infrastructure and data management capabilities which insurers are acquiring mainly through partnerships with innovative players. By implementing wearables technologies, health and life insurers may benefit from reductions in operational costs, new revenue streams and ultimately gains in competitive advantage.A recolha contínua de dados biométricos foi recentemente possibilitada pelo desenvolvimento e massificação dos wearables – computadores incorporados na roupa e acessórios que podem ser vestidos – que representam uma grande oportunidade para as seguradoras de vida e saúde. Apesar de já existir bastante pesquisa sobre os aspetos técnicos destes dispositivos, o mesmo não se verifica ao nível do negócio e da gestão, na implementação de wearables na indústria seguradora. Através da combinação de dados secundários e entrevistas a experts da indústria, este trabalho analisa o impacto dos wearables na cadeia de valor das seguradoras, identificando as principais oportunidades e desafios da sua implementação. A pesquisa conclui que apesar da atual aplicação dos wearables ser limitada, visto que são utilizados como pontos de contacto com o consumidor em programas de bem-estar promovidos pelas seguradoras para reforçar a lealdade à marca, esta tecnologia tem o potencial para acelerar a subscrição de seguros, promover ações de cuidado preventivo de saúde, expandir a base de clientes, possibilitar a prática de preços dinâmicos e melhorar a experiência do consumidor integrados num ecossistema conectado de saúde. A adoção, a privacidade de dados e a legislação são alguns dos principais obstáculos aquando da implementação destes dispositivos, a par da infraestrutura de TI e capacidades de gestão de dados que as seguradoras têm adquirido maioritariamente via parcerias com novas empresas. A implementação dos wearables pode assim contribuir para a redução de custos operacionais, criação de novas fontes de receita e ganhos de vantagem competitiva para as seguradoras
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