Sock Biometric Monitoring via Conductive Yarn Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biometric monitoring solutions in shoes and insoles face challenges due to the variability in foot anatomy and footwear designs, leading to inefficient sensor placement and signal collection, particularly in environments with high humidity and mechanical stress.
Innovation Solution
Integration of conductive yarns and sensors into the textile structure of a sock, allowing vertical knitting for power supply to sensors without compromising comfort or design, using a central electronic module connected via Bluetooth to a mobile device for data processing and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If biometric monitoring solutions are integrated into shoes and insoles, then biometric data collection capability is improved, but adaptability to various foot anatomies and footwear designs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible sock as the base structure instead of rigid shoe or insole components. The sock can conform to various foot anatomies and be worn with different footwear types, providing both biometric monitoring capability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sock-based monitoring system is designed to be universal and can be worn with any type of footwear (shoes, boots, sandals) and adapts to different foot shapes, making it more versatile than shoe-integrated solutions.
2Reliability
If sensors are integrated into the sock textile structure, then comfort and durability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensors, conductive yarns, and textile structure into a single integrated sock component. This consolidation improves comfort and durability by eliminating separate components while managing complexity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sock utilizes composite materials including conductive yarns integrated into textile fabric, combining different material properties (conductive, flexible, comfortable) into a single structure that maintains both performance and comfort.
3Ease of manufacture
If conductive yarns are knitted vertically for power supply, then ease of manufacture is improved, but signal interference risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different yarn types and knitting patterns in different local areas of the sock. Conductive yarns are strategically placed in specific regions for power supply while other areas use different patterns to minimize interference, allowing localized optimization of both manufacturability and signal quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sock provides efficient biometric data collection and visualization, accommodating various foot anatomies and footwear, while maintaining comfort and durability, with features like BMI measurement, calorie tracking, and GPS tracking, overcoming the limitations of traditional shoe-based solutions.
Implementation Method 1
conductive yarns in 'zig-zag'... connections to the data bus (7) through conductive yarns
Implementation Method 2
the referred sensors comprise a pressure sensor (5)
Implementation Method 3
the referred sensors comprise a temperature sensor (1)
Implementation Method 4
data processing device (11) which includes wireless interface (12), in particularly to a mobile device (15)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a sock with integrated biometric monitoring. The invention includes a biometric sensor system integrated into a sock with the ability to process and store the biometric data collected in order to provide useful information to the user, relating the user's biometric data to performance parameters of physical effort. The invention includes sensing integrated, on suitable supports (2), in the textile structure of the sock including temperature (1), heart beating and blood pressure (5) exerted by the foot of its user, to a processor (10, 11), signaling means (13) and interaction (14), to be interpreted and sent (12) to a mobile device (15) that stores data and allows the visualization of data. The invention includes textile integration of biometric monitoring devices through conductive yarns (3, 4, 6, 7) knitted with own sock and their connections to sensors, terminals (8, 9) and encapsulations.