0. Wearable electronics and textile applications
Erika Györvary

1. Outline of the presentation
Smart shirt with electronics resulting from
EC IST WEALTHY project
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 1

2. Wearable electronics and textile applications
Leisure and fun
Sport
Professional
Health / telemonitoring
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 2

3. Intelligent tele-alarm system
Portable biomedical devices
Intelligent tele-alarm system
Objective
Development of an automatic and reliable fall detector
Features
Activity monitoring
Detection rate of 95%
Interactive functionality
RF alarm transmission
Interface with base station
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 3

4. PULSEAR Objective integration of HR monitor in an earphone
Portable biomedical devices
PULSEAR
Objective
integration of HR monitor in an earphone
Technology platform
optical sensing of pulsatile blood flow
acceleration sensing for motion artefacts removal
Key features
comfortable and non-invasive method
robust and reliable pulse detection during sport activities
low-power consumption
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 4

5. SENSATION – non-invasive hemodynamic sensor
Portable biomedical devices
SENSATION – non-invasive hemodynamic sensor
Objective
development of a robust, non-invasive oximetry sensors
different targets (earphone, fingering)
Technology platform
optical sensing of pulsatile blood flow with acceleration sensing for motion artifact removal
Key features
differential SpO2 measurement
integrated sensor unit (ambient artifacts)
wireless
active artifact cancellation for long term monitoring under real life conditions
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6. Parkinson disease management
Portable biomedical devices
Parkinson disease management
Objective
Monitoring of patients suffering from Parkinson disease or spasticity
Eventually closing the loop for drug dispensing
Features
Wireless monitoring of tremor and spasticity parameters
Acquisition on several limbs
Data collection on portable base unit (body area network)
On-body signal processing
Downloading (Ethernet or USB)
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7. Monitoring of physiological signals
Portable biomedical devices
Monitoring of physiological signals
EOC : electro-oculography
EMG : electromyogram (muscles)
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 7

8. LTMS - Aurora Programme
Portable biomedical devices
LTMS - Aurora Programme
Objective
architecture design of intelligent and comfortable monitoring system
Features
monitoring ECG, SpO2, respiration, activity and NIBP
wireless communication to base station
data management and transmission from Concordia to Europe
Pour Mars 2028 !
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9. From multi-parameters to redundant sensors: textiles
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10. Roles of the on-body electronics
Provide a wired interface with the garment sensors
Provide a wireless interface with a mobile phone or PDA and a link to the professional interface
Perform signal acquisition, digital conversion and local data storage
Perform signal processing (feature extraction, classification, etc.)
Manage the wearable application
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11. Textile Platforms: Second skin
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12. Textile Platforms: Catsuit and long sleeve
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13. Bed sheets
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14. Plethysmography by piezoresistive fabric
Two piezoresistive fabric sensors integrated in a seamless shirt providing information about thoracic and abdominal respiration
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15. Strain sensors based on carbon loaded silicone coating
Piezoresistive sensors originated from a coating process by using carbon loaded silicone
Sensor advantages
Easy to wear
Multi-dimensional movement representation
Fast response to stretching
Sensor disadvantages
Long settling time after relaxing
High to very high impedance values
Tracks connected in series
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16. Patient Portable Unit Small and Lightweight Only 145g, small PDA size
Easy user interface
Data transmission over GPRS link
Sensor interfaces for:
5-lead ECG
Impedance measurement (respiration)
Piezo-resistive bands (movement)
Skin temperature
Standard oximetry sensor
Integrated accelerometers
Signal processing
Heart rate
ECG enhancement
Powered by a Li-Ion battery
Autonomy up to 4 hours with real-time streaming of all signals over GPRS
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17. MyHeart electronics Acquired signals Communication Size
3-lead ECG (5 and 6 elec.)
1 impedance cardiogram (ICG)
1 respiration by impedance
1 respiration by piezo-resistance
1 skin impedance
3D or 2x2D accelerometers
1 respiration sound
32 strain resistance (FE-2)
Communication
Download of stored data and streaming mode over Bluetooth
Link with mobile phone and PC
Size
88 x 67 x 18 mm
100 grams (incl. battery)
Generic processing modules
HR, RR, ECG index features
BR, BA features
ACC fo, power, motion index
Activity classification
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18. The journey to tomorrow
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19. Cardiovascular diseases and rehabilitation
SFIT: today
Cardiovascular diseases and rehabilitation
Sensing, processing and communicating
EC IST MyHeart & Wealthy projects
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20. SFIT: tomorrow Microsystems physical sensors
(attitude, fall, health, …)
Micro-communicating: sensor interface, processing and wireless
Flexible displays
Nano-engineered surfaces
Conductive fabrics
Micro-interfaces
Point of care
Micro-energy generators
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21. SFIT: the journey to tomorrow, the main trends
Adding biochemical sensors to physiological measurements
From monitoring single parameter to multiple parameters
Adding actuation capability to sensing and monitoring (closing the loop)
Towards fully autonomous system (energy, communication, actuation)
Towards implementing plastic electronics
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22. BIOTEX as part of an instrumented textile roadmap
Current developments are mainly focused on physiological measurements with first applications targeting sport monitoring and prevention of cardiovascular risk
Biochemical measurements of on-body fluids are needed to tackle very important health and safety issues
European co-financed FP6 STREP project started in September 2005 and lasting 30 months
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23. Hydrogel Opal Sensors
Hydrogel inverse opal : 3D mesoporous ordered hydrogel structure using a polystyrene opal template
Measurable shift in the diffracted wavelength with swelling of the hydrogel inverse opal
Reversible swelling of antigen-responsive hydrogel (competitive immunoassay)
Connection of the sensor to a spectrophotometer and incorporation into a textile for wound healing monitoring
Air
pH2
pH7
Hydrogel colorimetric sensors are obtained with the combination of diffracting opal structures and responsive hydrogels.
Responsive hydrogels are hydrated polymers that swell or shrink in response to an external stimulus. In the case of antigen-responsive hydrogels, changes in the volume are stimulated by interactions between the polymer chains in the hydrogel, when interrelated compounds (antigen-antibody pair) are grafted to the chains. The hydrogel proportionally swells in the presence of the antigen in solution, as a consequence of a competition between the free and the bound antigen.
Opals - crystalline colloidal arrays - diffract visible light when the crystal lattice periodicity is in the same range as the wavelength of light. Inverse opals are obtained by infiltration of hydrogel monomers into the opal template, photopolymerization and cross-linking of the gel and dissolution of the beads.
Swelling of the hydrogel inverse opal as a function of the concentration of the antigen results in a change in the lattice periodicity and leads to a measurable shift in the diffraction wavelength.
Hydrogel colorimetric immunosensors are being developed for the measurement of histamine and/or VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) concentrations in wounds, in order to monitor the evolution of the wound healing process. The sensor is in direct contact with the wound and connected to a light source and to a spectrophotometer with optical fibres.
Wearable electronics | EGv | Page 23

24. Protection e-textiles, micro-nano structured fiber systems for emergency-disaster wear
ProeTEX
Textile and fiber-based integrated smart wearables for emergency disaster intervention personnel
Improvement of safety, coordination and efficiency of professionals
Optimization of survivor management
European co-financed FP6 IP project started in February 2006 and lasting 48 months
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25. Plastic Optical Fibers integrated in the fabrics
Source: Penelope
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26. Thank you for your attention.