Flexible Wearable Electronics Using Graphene Ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a growing demand for wearable electronic devices that can be integrated into articles of apparel, allowing for convenient access and use of electronic components while maintaining the functionality and comfort of clothing.
Innovation Solution
Wearable electronic devices are designed to be integrated into clothing and accessories, featuring flexible displays, input devices, and various electronic components such as microprocessors, batteries, and sensors, which can be attached or embedded within the fabric using methods like printing or coating with ink, allowing for flexibility and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electronic components are integrated into articles of apparel, then convenience and accessibility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electronic components (display, processor, memory, sensors, battery, antenna) into a single integrated wearable device that is incorporated into apparel. This merging of components into one unified system improves convenience by providing all functions in a single wearable unit while managing complexity through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device is designed to perform multiple functions including displaying information, processing data, storing information, sensing environmental and physiological parameters, wireless communication, and power management. This multi-functionality approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices into one universal wearable unit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electronic components are integrated into articles of apparel, then functionality is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible substrates and thin-film technologies to create wearable electronic components that can be integrated into apparel fabrics. The display, circuitry, and other components are constructed using flexible materials and deposition techniques that enable manufacturing on flexible bases, facilitating integration into wearable textiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device utilizes composite structures combining flexible substrates, conductive materials, encapsulation layers, and fabric integration. These composite material approaches enable the electronic components to be manufactured with the necessary flexibility and durability for apparel integration while maintaining electronic functionality.
3Ease of operation
If electronic components are integrated into articles of apparel, then wearability is maintained, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible displays, thin-film circuitry, and flexible battery structures to maintain the wearable device's flexibility and conformability to body contours. These flexible component designs ensure the device can be comfortably worn while integrating substantial electronic functionality, balancing wearability with structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention relate to flexible wearable electronic devices and associate methods of fabrication. In one embodiment, a general flexible wearable electronic device comprises a flexible article of apparel. A first plurality of components are in communication with the flexible article of apparel and each configured to comprise a radius of curvature of no more than 5 cm when folded. The first plurality of components comprises a display(s) and an input device(s). The first plurality of components are printed on to the flexible apparel using an electrically conductive ink that comprises a polymeric binder and single sheets of graphene comprising a thickness of up to 1 nm. A second plurality of components are in communication with the flexible article of apparel and communicatively coupled to the first plurality of components. The second plurality of components comprises a microprocessor(s) and an electronic device(s) configured for wireless communication.