Textile Computing Platform with Integrated Fabric Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current movement sensing clothing for tracking body movements and biometric data is cumbersome due to difficulties in sensor placement and maintaining position during activities, particularly in rehabilitation and physiotherapy settings.
Innovation Solution
A textile-based computing platform integrated into garments with electrically conductive sensor and actuator threads woven into the fabric, allowing for bidirectional communication with a controller device to monitor and respond to body movements, providing real-time biometric feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external sensors are placed adjacent to body parts for movement tracking, then biometric and orientation information can be sensed, but sensor placement is difficult and sensors cannot maintain position during body movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines sensors, actuators, electronics, and conductive elements directly into the textile fabric structure itself. The sensors are integrated into the textile layers during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate external sensor placement. This merging resolves the contradiction by making the textile both the garment and the sensing device, ensuring sensors maintain position naturally as part of the fabric that moves with the body.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides garment coverage, contains integrated sensors for biometric sensing, includes actuators for stimulation, and has conductive threads for signal transmission. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for separate sensor placement operations while maintaining accurate biometric measurement capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors and actuators are integrated into the textile body, then comprehensive biometric tracking and interaction is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges sensors, actuators, conductive threads, and electronic components into a single integrated textile structure. All these elements are incorporated during textile manufacturing processes, creating a unified garment that provides comprehensive biometric tracking without requiring separate systems. This merging reduces the practical complexity by consolidating multiple functional elements into one wearable device.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile body itself serves as a flexible substrate that houses all sensing and actuating elements. The thin textile structure naturally conforms to body contours and movements, providing comprehensive monitoring capability while maintaining simplicity through its flexible, form-fitting nature that eliminates rigid structural requirements.
3Reliability
If conductive threads are woven into the textile layer for electrical connections, then bidirectional communication with controller is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible conductive threads that are woven or knitted into the textile structure during standard textile manufacturing processes. These thin conductive elements naturally follow the fabric's flexibility and conform to body movements, maintaining reliable electrical connections without requiring rigid wiring harnesses or complex assembly steps. The conductive threads are integrated as part of the fabric construction itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wiring and connection systems with conductive threads integrated into the textile weave. This substitution eliminates the need for separate mechanical assembly of electrical connections, allowing bidirectional communication between sensors, actuators, and controller to be achieved through the textile's inherent conductive structure, thereby simplifying manufacturing while ensuring connection stability.
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
Enables efficient and accurate tracking of body movements and biometric data, improving rehabilitation and physiotherapy treatments by providing a comfortable and reliable means of monitoring and interacting with the body's movements and conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a fabric sensor incorporated into a textile layer making up the textile body, the fabric sensor having one or more electrically conductive sensor threads incorporated into the textile layer by at least one of knitting or weaving with other threads making up the textile layer
Implementation Method 2
a fabric actuator incorporated into the textile layer making up the textile body, the fabric actuator having one or more electrically conductive actuator threads incorporated into the textile layer by at least one of knitting or weaving with the other threads making up the textile layer
Data Source
AI summary
A textile-based computing platform for wearing by a wearer on both sides of a joint of a body of the wearer, the platform comprising: a textile body shaped as a sleeve including a first zone for positioning adjacent to the joint, a second zone opposite the first zone for positioned on another side of the joint, and an intermediate zone for positioning over the joint; a fabric sensor incorporated into a textile layer making up the textile body, a fabric actuator incorporated into the textile layer making up the textile body, an electrical connector mounted on the textile body for connecting to a controller computing device; an electronic circuit coupling the electrical connector to the fabric sensor and the fabric actuator, the circuit electrically conductive threads incorporated into the textile layer.