Wearable Sensor Ventilation and Droplet Repulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional environmental sensors are cumbersome, limited in portability, and prone to measurement inaccuracies due to liquid droplets and ventilation interruptions, making it difficult to precisely measure ambient environmental information around a living body.
Innovation Solution
A wearable environmental sensor device with an environmental sensor exposed on a housing surface facing downward from the body, equipped with a protective structure featuring ventilation holes on opposed surfaces, allowing for stable and precise measurement of ambient environmental information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional environmental sensor is attached to monitor the environment around a human body, then the environment can be monitored, but the sensor causes inconvenience in portability and limits the regions to which it can be attached
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is divided into a sensor unit and a separate wearable body (clothing or accessory). The sensor unit can be attached to different regions of the wearable body, allowing flexible positioning and easy portability while monitoring the environment around the human body.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable body serves multiple functions: it supports the sensor unit, provides comfort for wearing, and can be attached to different regions. The sensor device is designed to be universally attachable to various parts of clothing or accessories, removing limitations on attachment regions.
2Measurement precision
If the environmental sensor is attached to monitor around the human body, then local environment can be monitored, but liquid droplets containing sweat or organic solvent adhere to the sensor causing imprecise measurement
Solution Approach 1:
A repelent layer is introduced as an intermediary between the sensor surface and liquid droplets. This layer has low surface energy that causes liquid droplets to bead up and roll off rather than adhere to the sensor, preventing measurement errors caused by sweat or organic solvent accumulation.
3Measurement precision
If the environmental sensor is attached to monitor around the human body, then local environment can be monitored, but ventilation is interrupted preventing precise measurement of ambient environmental information
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is designed with an asymmetric structure where the sensor surface faces a direction away from the human body (e.g., outward or upward). This asymmetric orientation ensures that the sensor is not blocked by the body or clothing, maintaining proper ventilation and accurate measurement of ambient environmental information.
4Measurement precision
If a conventional WBGT index meter is used to prevent heatstroke, then environmental information can be measured, but the large device size makes it difficult to dispose at optionally selected places
Solution Approach 1:
The WBGT measurement functionality is segmented into a compact sensor unit that can be integrated into wearable items. The sensor unit contains the necessary sensors (temperature, humidity, wind speed) and processing capabilities in a miniaturized form, enabling portable deployment at various locations while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit is nested within or attached to existing wearable items such as clothing, bags, or accessories. This nesting approach allows the measurement device to be carried conveniently without adding significant bulk, enabling optional placement at different locations while maintaining the WBGT measurement capability.
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 easy, stable, and precise measurement of local ambient environmental information around the body, reducing the risk of measurement errors caused by liquid droplets and ventilation blockages.
Implementation Method 1
the protective structure includes first ventilation holes provided in each of two or more pairs of opposed surfaces thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable environmental sensor device includes a temperature/humidity sensor disposed on a wall surface of a housing that is exposed to an environment and configured to measure ambient environmental information around a living body, and a protective structure formed around the temperature/humidity sensor. The temperature/humidity sensor is disposed, directly or via a support structure, on or over the wall surface of the housing, wherein the wall surface faces substantially downward from the living body when the wearable environmental sensor device is attached to the living body and the living body is in a standing posture. The protective structure has respective ventilation holes provided in two or more pairs of opposed surfaces thereof each facing in a direction other than a vertical direction of the living body when the wearable environmental sensor device is attached to the living body and the living body is in the standing posture.