Wearing bulky health and fitness tracking devices on your wrist may soon be a thing of the past. Tiny sensors embedded in clothing, sports bras, and even eyewear can now continuously track your heart rate, distance traveled, and calculated calorie burn.
These sensors can be used in this way because scientists have developed new technology that allows stretchable microcircuits to be printed on fabrics. These new technologies—from printable inks to conductive yarns—are being used in conjunction with rugged sensors to form new types of wearable activity-tracking devices.
Unlike other tracking devices, users can just throw the device into the washing machine after a sweaty workout.
Embedded Circuit
Traditional electronic devices contain intricate circuits made of metal wires and silicon chips. However, traditional electronic components are not elastic or waterproof, so they must be placed on a solid pad, such as a computer motherboard.
In recent years, researchers have been trying to develop elastic, conductive materials that could power the next generation of sci-fi devices, from stretchable batteries to bionic eyes to electronic skins. Over the past few years, stretchy, conductive material technology has taken off in leaps and bounds.
One way to build such devices is to use stretchable ink that can be used as a connection between different sensors, such as global positioning systems (GPS), accelerometers, heart rate monitors and temperature sensors. Michael Burrows, manager of DuPont Microcircuit Materials, the manufacturer of this type of ink, said that this type of ink consists of conductive silver nanoparticles that can be embedded in stretchable polymer resin.
According to Steven Willoughby, marketing manager for DuPont Microcircuit Materials, unlike previous projects, the newer conductive ink can be screen printed or laminated to clothing using technology available at almost any textile mill. and underwear.
Barros pointed out that ordinary smartphones will be damaged by being accidentally put into the washing machine, but the new ink can withstand at least 100 washes.
Another technology already in use is conductive yarn, which is made of metal that runs through the fibers of clothing. Akseli Reho, CEO of Clothing+, a wearable technology design company, said that conductive yarn is more elastic and more comfortable than printable ink, and the latter can provide a platform for embedding silicon chips into clothing more easily.
New Clothes
Although fashion trends in clothing are constantly changing, the main function of this very ancient technology has not changed significantly so far. “I think the last major invention in clothing was pockets.” Reho told the media.
However, with the birth of smart shirts, smart underwear, smart cycling pants, smart socks, etc., this situation is about to change. These smart clothes are only a little more expensive than ordinary clothes.
Reho said new smart sensing technology could bring a range of new uses to clothing, such as highly accurate and sustainable heart rate monitoring – which is important for accurately measuring the wearer’s calorie burn, recovery time and the impact of a workout. .
He added that clothes may one day also be used in clinical applications to more closely monitor patients’ health conditions and even predict or avoid health crises.
Barros pointed out that unlike existing sports tracking devices, the new electronic components can be embedded in anything a person wears.
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