Wearable injury abatement gear

Abstract

Provided is a wearable injury abatement gear including wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using conductors or wirelessly, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear. Also provided is a sleeve, configured to be worn around a body portion of a user, comprising electroactive materials that alter one or more physical properties of the sleeve in response to receiving a modulated electrical current from one or more processing units embedded in the sleeve. An associated method is also provided.

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] The following relates to a wearable injury abatement gear, and more specifically to embodiments of a wearable injury abatement gear that can be worn on the body of a person.BACKGROUND

[0002] A wearable injury abatement gear is desirable to protect the joints and tissues of a person's body from various forces acting within the body or on the body. External unbalanced forces are experienced within the body of a person during activities such as sports, manual locomotion, such as lying down, sleeping, waking, walking, running, exercise, sports, feeding one self, feeding a baby, brushing teeth, or vehicular locomotion such as driving, passenger, sleeping, secured to parts of a car, or an ambulance bed, sudden reactionary movements, as well as external and internal temperature and pressure changes, including acoustic injuries etc. External elements, such as rain, snow, sunlight, heat, and the like may also affect the body of a person. There may also be other protective functions of a wearable injury abatement gear, which are discussed in this disclosure. Injuries are caused to the body of a person during any of the situations as mentioned above, and the external unbalanced forces and conditions must be taken into account.

[0003] Thus, a need exists for a wearable injury abatement gear that can be used in relation to the body of a person.SUMMARY

[0004] A first aspect relates to a wearable injury abatement gear including wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using conductors or wirelessly, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear, and wearable injury abatement gear such as a sleeve may be configured to be worn around a body portion of a user, comprising electroactive materials that alter one or more physical properties of the sleeve in response to receiving a modulated electrical current from one or more processing units embedded in the sleeve;

[0005] A second aspect relates to the process of using a wearable injury abatement gear, wherein a part of body is provided to be covered by the wearable injury abatement gear, and a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using conductors or wirelessly, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear;

[0006] A third aspect relates to a method for making a wearable injury abatement gear including wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using conductors or wirelessly, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear;

[0007] The foregoing and other features of construction and operation will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 depicts a view of a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, more particularly, an upper leg, a lower leg, and a foot of a person, showing a shoe worn around the foot and lower leg of the person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using connections, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the upper leg, lower leg, and the foot of a person;

[0010] FIG. 2 depicts an arrangement where a single or plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using connections, such connections being wired and or wireless connections;

[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the lower leg, and foot of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected with connections, and where such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the lower leg, and the foot of a person;

[0012] FIG. 4 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the around the front of the knee of a person, extending to the upper and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected, and where such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the front of the knee of a person, extending to the upper and lower leg of a person;

[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the around the back of the knee of a person, extending to the upper and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected, and where such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the back of the knee of a person, extending to the upper and lower leg of a person;

[0014] FIG. 6 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected, and where such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person, and such wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person in turn connected to a second wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the knee of a person, and such second wearable injury abatement gear connected to an external electronic device;

[0015] FIG. 7 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear conforming around the body of a person, more particularly, shoulders, arm, and wrist of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using conductors or wirelessly, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around shoulders, arm, and wrist of a person;

[0016] FIG. 8 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear in an extended position around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units;

[0017] FIG. 9 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear in a collapsed position around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units;DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] A detailed description of the hereinafter described embodiments of the disclosed apparatus, method, and system are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. Although certain embodiments are shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present disclosure will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0020] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a view of a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the body of a person, more particularly, an upper leg, a lower leg, and a foot of a person, showing a shoe 2 worn around the foot and lower leg of the person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected using connection 7, where such connection can be wired or wireless, and wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear around the upper leg, lower leg, and the foot of a person. In FIG. 1, sensors 3 includes either a single sensor or a plurality of sensors. Sensors 3 is depicted as circular or oval in the drawings for visual clarity. Sensors 3 may include position sensors, orientation sensors, temperature sensors, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, etc. Effectors 4 include mechanical force effectors, motors, electroactive polymers, vibrators, cables, bands, resilient materials, electroactive bands, etc. In FIG. 1, Effectors 4 includes either a single or a plurality of effectors. Effectors 4 is depicted as diamond shape in the drawings for visual clarity. Transmitters 5 includes a transmitter or receiver or a combination thereof, such transmitter being capable of exchanging information with any device such as other transmitters, or external devices such as smart phones, computers, etc. Transmitters 5 includes either a single or a plurality of transmitters. Transmitters 5 is depicted as triangle shape in the drawings for visual clarity. Processing units 6 includes batteries, source of electricity, current controller, microcomputer, microchip, or a circuit capable of gathering information from sensors, controlling an effector, and sharing information with transmitters, or a combination thereof. Processing units 6 includes either a single or a plurality of processing units. Processing units 6 is depicted as rectangular shape in the drawings for visual clarity. Temperature sensors include body temperature sensors, and environmental temperature sensors. In this particular embodiment, wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the body of a person is worn around the body of a person as a sleeve in a continuous envelope. It will be understood while reading the entire disclosure that wearable injury abatement gear 1 can be worn on various body parts as a continuous envelope or a sleeve around a particular body part. Wearable injury abatement gear 1 can be made of various materials such as embedded or interwoven electroactive materials or other materials as described infra, and thus can be manufactured to be any article worn around the body of a person such as clothing or shoes or helmets, etc. Current is supplied to the electroactive material from a source of electricity such a lithium or NiCad battery, a solar cell, via a current controller, such controller in turn being part of the processing unit. The processing unit 6 may be programmed to gather signals from the various sensors 3 and react to the signals and modulate the electric current as required to obtain the desired changes such as stiffness, or contraction or relaxation, in the electroactive material. Thus, electroactive materials embedded in a wearable injury abatement gear may cause changes in the physical shape of the wearable injury abatement gear. A user of the embodiment will have control over the programming, to set the parameters or limits of the current controller. The electroactive material will physically change proportionally to the strength of the current applied. For example, when electroactive materials are used in a sleeve or envelope or bands, or in any desired shape or form, such form configured may be worn around a body portion of a user, comprising electroactive materials that alter one or more physical properties of the sleeve or envelope or bands, or in any desired shape or form, in response to receiving a modulated electrical current from one or more processing units. For example, the material will stiffen less for a low current and will stiffen a higher degree for a high current. The electroactive material will return to its base compliance state when no current is applied. This base compliance is determined at the time of manufacture so as to suit its application, for example if Wearable injury abatement gear 1 is in the form of a shoe. The base compliance may be different in alternate embodiments described elsewhere in this disclosure. The wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be made of materials such as cloth, textile, nylon, polymers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers, nanotechnology fibers, films, solar cell films, and the like, or a combination of any of these materials, or other materials as discussed elsewhere in the disclosure. The present invention also allows for use of materials such as ballistic nylon, bulletproof fabric, bulletproof materials, heat reflective materials, radiation reflective materials, nuclear fallout protective materials, heat absorbing materials, hydrophobic materials, hydrophilic materials, translucent, or transparent, or opaque materials, continuous or perforated materials, acoustic dampening materials, and the like, or a combination of any of these materials. Where Wearable injury abatement gear 1 is desired to be used in moist or wet conditions, sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, may be protected from moisture or water by utilizing waterproofing methods, and a combination of wireless connectivity. The choice of materials is not limited to the list as described supra.

[0021] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 2 depicts a view of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, arranged in a circuit, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected using connection 7, where such connection can be wired or wireless. Although connection 7 is shown in FIG. 2 as a conductor, it should be understood that any connection 7 may be wired or wireless, and where sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are shown elsewhere in the disclosure without connection 7, it should be understood that sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, may be interconnected wirelessly, and such connection is no explicitly depicted in each and every drawing in the disclosure.

[0022] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 3 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the lower leg, and foot of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors, effectors, transmitters, and processing units are interconnected wirelessly, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the lower leg, and the foot of a person;

[0023] FIG. 4 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the around the front of the knee of a person, extending to the upper leg 8 and lower leg 9 of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the front of the knee of a person, extending to the upper leg 8 and lower leg 9 of a person. In this embodiment wearable injury abatement gear 1 is in the form of a sleeve which covers the knee and extends upwards and downwards from the knee, that is towards the femur and tibia respectively. The sensors 3 are arranged and designed to sense the angle of motion of the knee joint, whether or not such angle is within its normal range of motion, and the rate of change of the angle of the knee joint within its normal range of motion in unit time. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment of this invention, the normal range of motion and its limits may be defined by the user. The sensors 3 are also arranged and designed to gather information regarding the motion and position of the knee joint in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. The wearable injury abatement gear 1 in this embodiment contains electroactive materials wherein the wearable injury abatement gear 1 surrounds the entire knee area as a sleeve. Electroactive materials may be arranged in separate groups within the wearable injury abatement gear 1 where some groups may run parallel to the leg, some groups run transverse to the knee, while some groups run diagonally around the knee. These groups may be controlled by processing units 6. In an alternate embodiment, there may be several processing units 6, where these processing units 6 may control different groups to achieve the desired effect. The electroactive material will physically change proportionally to the strength of the current applied. For example, the material will contract less for a low applied current and will contract more for a high applied current. The electroactive material will return to its base compliance state when no current is applied. Thus, a contracting force within the electroactive material will translate to a contraction of wearable injury abatement gear 1, depending on the orientation and distribution of the electroactive material. In some embodiments the entire wearable injury abatement gear 1 is made of electroactive material. Selective contraction of a some part of the electroactive materials will cause selective deformation of the wearable injury abatement gear 1, for example, if only the electroactive material at the back of the knee contracts, it would cause a bending of the wearable injury abatement gear 1 along the normal bending of the knee, that is a flexion at the knee. If only the electroactive material at the front of the knee contracts, it would cause a bending of the wearable injury abatement gear 1, it would induce a force to coincide with the extension at the knee. In a scenario where the rate of flexion or extension at the knee exceeds the desired or pre determined parameters, the electroactive material may be controlled by the processing units 6 where the processing units 6 may be programmed to control the wearable injury abatement gear 1, in such a manner as to resist the flexion or extension at the knee so as to slow down to completely stop the flexion or extension of the knee. It may also be desirable that in the above example where the processing units 6 may cause differing or varying contraction of the electroactive materials in different locations of such materials in the wearable injury abatement gear 1. As discussed elsewhere in this disclosure, electroactive materials are examples of Effectors 4. Effectors 4 include mechanical force effectors, motors, electroactive polymers, electroactive fabrics, vibrators, cables, bands, resilient materials, electroactive bands, etc. The Effectors 4 are shown in the figures as diamond shaped only as a visual aid. This shape is not a determining factor. In fact, Effectors 4 may be distributed evenly all around the wearable injury abatement gear 1, or have an arrangement so as to make up almost the entire surface of the wearable injury abatement gear 1. In an embodiment, an arrangement of Effectors 4 may be employed in such a way by a person playing sports where a sudden movement of either flexion or extension, outside the parameters of movement of the knee is sensed and arrested by the wearable injury abatement gear 1 to prevent an injury. In an embodiment, the same process of contraction may be employed without any regard to the rate of flexion or extension of the knee, but simply to maintain a certain static position at the knee joint, or assist in maintaining a certain position at the knee joint. One exemplary embodiment is where the wearable injury abatement gear 1 and process as described supra may be employed by a motorcycle rider to maintain a flexed knee or tucked leg position while riding a motorcycle. The wearable injury abatement gear 1 may also utilize Effectors 4 in the form of temperature effectors to either raise or lower the temperature around the knee area. In yet another embodiment, the Effectors 4 in the form of mechanical force effectors may cause a vibration in the sleeve such that the user may perceive the vibrations. These vibrations may be calibrated to be of a certain frequency, dwell time, and amplitude, or as a pulse. A user may define these vibrations to commence at a certain point in time such as when a certain joint in the body is exceeding or deviating from a predetermined parameter, which may help in preventing injury to a joint or body part. This feature may be useful when a user may be distracted or engrossed in an activity. The vibrations may also be calibrated to commence in advance before a certain predetermined parameter as discussed supra is reached, so as to function as advance notice to a user. In yet another embodiment, the Effectors 4 in the form of an optical indicator such as a bright light may be used to provide advance notice to a user that a certain predetermined parameter is being reached or is within a predetermined range from a point of injury to a joint of body of a user. In yet another embodiment, the Effectors 4 in the form of an audible device or an audible indicator such as a buzzer or a beeper may be used to provide advance notice to a user that a certain predetermined parameter is being reached or is within a predetermined range from a point of injury to a joint of body of a user, with the audible indicator may be programmed to produce a desired tone, frequency, or amplitude. These vibration and optical or audible indicators may be employed in combination if desired along with any electroactive materials.

[0024] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 5 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the around the back of the knee of a person, extending to the upper leg 8 and lower leg 9 of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the back of the knee of a person, extending to the upper leg 8 and lower leg 9 of a person. In this embodiment wearable injury abatement gear 1 is in the form of a sleeve which covers the knee region and extends upwards and downwards from the knee, that is towards the femur and tibia respectively.

[0025] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 6 a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person, and such wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person in turn connected via connection 7 to a second wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the knee of a person, and such second wearable injury abatement gear 1 is connected via connection 7 to an external electronic device 10. External electronic device 10 can be a cell phone, handheld electronic device, computer, laptop, cloud based computer, watch, electronic programmer, voice activated device, analog device, digital device, robotic device, joy stick, game controller, optical controller, headset, artificial intelligence controller, etc. In this embodiment, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 is in the form of a sleeve which covers the hip of a person and extending to the torso and upper leg of a person. Sensors 3 gather data from various parts of wearable injury abatement gear 1 of this embodiment and such data is used by the other components of wearable injury abatement gear 1 to suit the needs to a user, and to prevent injury to the user as described elsewhere in this disclosure. In an embodiment, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be controlled in a manner so as to hold the torso of a person in a certain position in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes, in relation to the hip of a person by manipulating the effectors 4 in the form of electroactive materials. Thus the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be employed to prevent twisting, bending, etc to prevent injuries or may be employed to hold the body in a certain position for a certain duration, long or short, if such position or posture correction is desired.

[0026] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 7 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 conforming around the body of a person, more particularly around the shoulders, arm, and wrist of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the shoulders, arm, and wrist of a person. In an embodiment, the shoulder sleeve may also include a sling which encircles the neck. The sensors 3 are arranged and designed to gather information regarding the motion and position of the elbow joint in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. Sensors 4 are also arranged and designed to sense the angle of motion of the shoulder joint within its normal range of motion and the rate of change of the angle of the shoulder joint within its normal range of motion. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment of this invention, the normal range of motion and its limits may be user defined. The sensors 4 are also arranged and designed to gather information regarding the motion, position, and rotation of the shoulder joint in all applicable planes including the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. In some embodiments, additional information may be gathered from sensors 4 located on other parts of the body, such as those located on the opposite shoulder, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, hips, etc. Regarding the sensors 4 of near the elbow, they are arranged and designed to sense the angle of motion of the elbow joint within its normal range of motion and the rate of change of the angle of the elbow joint within its normal range of motion. It should be noted that in an alternative embodiment of this invention, the normal range of motion and its limits may be defined by the user. In some embodiments, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be a sleeve with embedded electroactive materials where these materials may be activated as described supra to cause different levels of contractions or changes shape or size in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 to suit the needs of a user and to prevent unwanted or undesirable movements of the various joints of the body where wearable injury abatement gear 1 is employed. This will cause different net effects of flexion or extensions at various joints such as the elbow joint, the shoulder joint, or the wrist joint etc. or assist in maintaining a certain position at the elbow joint, the shoulder joint, or the wrist joint etc. One exemplary embodiment is where the wearable injury abatement gear 1 of FIG. 7 as described supra may be employed by a person carrying a child to maintain a flexed elbow while carrying a child. The wearable injury abatement gear 1 may also utilize Effectors 4 in the form of temperature effectors to either raise or lower the temperature to help warm up or cool the skin of the person or child being carried respectively. One exemplary embodiment is where the wearable injury abatement gear 1 and process as described supra may be employed during the feeding a child, where a breast feeding mother or a caregiver with a bottle may desire to hold the baby in a certain position while sitting or walking, and desire to maintain a flexed shoulder position, or freeze the position of the shoulder and arm. It should be understood that the sensors 3 and other components of wearable injury abatement gear 1 can overlap their components with other wearable injury abatement gear 1 on other parts of the body where necessary. One exemplary embodiment is where the wearable injury abatement gear 1 and process as described supra may be employed for an athlete or sportsperson, where a certain risk of injury needs to be mitigated by variably controlling the amount of movement in a joint. The wearable injury abatement gear 1 may also utilize Effectors 4 in the form of temperature effectors to either raise or lower the temperature to help warm up or cool the joint or tissues to facilitate training.

[0027] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 8 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 in an extended position around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person. In this embodiment, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be made of such a material, shape or a combination thereof, to allow the wearable injury abatement gear 1 to be extended from a shorter initial form to a longer extended form. In other words, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be utilized in a shoe, where a low ankle height is desired at one time, and a high boot configuration is desired at another time. This may be achieved by utilizing a simple fold over design. In another embodiment, it may be a corrugated type sleeve wearable injury abatement gear 1.

[0028] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 9 depicts a wearable injury abatement gear 1 in a collapsed position around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person, and a plurality of sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, wherein such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are interconnected, and where such sensors 3, effectors 4, transmitters 5, and processing units 6, are placed in close proximity to the body of the person and embedded in the wearable injury abatement gear 1 around the foot, ankle, and lower leg of a person. In this embodiment, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be made of such a material, shape or a combination thereof, to allow the wearable injury abatement gear 1 to be collapsed from a longer extended form to a final shorter collapsed form. In other words, the wearable injury abatement gear 1 may be utilized in a shoe, where a low ankle height is desired at one time, and a high boot configuration is desired at another time. This may be achieved by utilizing a simple fold over design. In another embodiment, it may be a corrugated type sleeve or a concentric type sleeve of the wearable injury abatement gear 1.

[0029] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as required by the following claims. The claims provide the scope of the coverage of the invention and should not be limited to the specific examples provided herein.

Claims

1. A wearable injury abatement gear, comprising:a sleeve, configured to be worn around a body portion of a user, comprising electroactive materials that alter one or more physical properties of the sleeve in response to receiving a modulated electrical current from one or more processing units embedded in the sleeve.

2. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the physical properties of the sleeve changes based on a strength of the modulated current applied to the electroactive materials.

3. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical properties of sleeve include a stiffness of the sleeve, which increases when the modulated electrical current increases and decreases when the modulated electrical current decreases.

4. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical properties of the sleeve include a shape of the sleeve, in which the shape is changed by contracting the electroactive materials according to a contraction force.

5. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical properties of the sleeve include a temperature of the sleeve, in which the electroactive materials change the temperature of the sleeve in response to receiving the modulated electrical current.

6. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing units modulate the modulated electrical current based on signals received from one or more sensors embedded in the sleeve.

7. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the electroactive materials include a mechanical force effector, a motor, an electroactive polymer, an electroactive fabric, a vibrator, a resilient material, and / or an electroactive band.

8. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the electroactive materials are grouped together to concentrate on an area of the sleeve, or are evenly distributed over the sleeve.

9. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the electroactive materials include one or more vibrators configured to cause a vibration of the sleeve, in response to receiving the modulated electrical current.

10. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, further comprising one or more transmitters embedded in the sleeve, the one or more transmitter configured to transmit data associated with the sleeve to an external computing device.

11. The wearable injury abatement gear of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of cloth, textile, nylon, polymers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers, nanotechnology fibers, films, solar cell films, and / or a combination thereof.

12. A method comprising:forming a sleeve, configured to be worn around a body portion of a user, comprising electroactive materials, one or more sensors, and one or more processing units; andcontrolling at least one physical property of the sleeve by modulating an electrical current sent from the one or more processing units to the electroactive materials, based on signal received from the one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one physical property of the sleeve changes based on a strength of the electrical current applied to the electroactive materials.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one physical property of sleeve includes a stiffness of the sleeve.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: increasing the modulated electrical current increases to increase the stiffness of the sleeve, and decreasing the modulated electrical current to decrease the stiffness of the sleeve.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one physical properties of the sleeve includes a shape of the sleeve.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: changing the shape of the sleeve by contracting the electroactive materials according to a contraction force determined by the one or more processing units.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one physical property of the sleeve includes a temperature of the sleeve.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising: vibrating the sleeve based on the modulating of the modulated electrical current.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting, by one or more transmitters embedded in the sleeve, data associated with the sleeve to an external computing device.

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