Thread-based wearable devices

Abstract One-dimensional substrates such as textile fibers and threads offer an excellent opportunity to realize sensors, actuators, energy harvesters/storage, microfluidics, and advanced therapies. A new generation of wearable devices made from smart threads offer ultimate flexibility and seamless integration with the human body and the garments that adorn them. This article reviews the state of the art in thread-based wearable devices for monitoring human activity and performance, diagnoses and manages medical conditions, and provides new and improved human–machine interfaces. In the area of new and improved human–machine interfaces, it discusses novel computing platforms enabled using thread-based electronics and batteries/capacitors. For physical activity monitoring, a review of wearable devices using strain sensing threads is provided. Thread-based devices that can monitor health from biological fluids such as total analysis systems, wearable sweat sensing patches, and smart sutures/smart bandages are also included. The article concludes with an outlook on how fibers and threads are expected to impact and revolutionize the next generation of wearable devices. Knowledge gaps and emerging opportunities are presented. Graphic Abstract

Download Full-text

Wearable Biosensors: An Alternative and Practical Approach in Healthcare and Disease Monitoring

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26030748 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 748

Author(s):

Atul Sharma ◽

Mihaela Badea ◽

Swapnil Tiwari ◽

Jean Louis Marty

Keyword(s):

Population Aging ◽

Biological Fluids ◽

Wearable Sensors ◽

Wearable Devices ◽

Medical Diagnostics ◽

Transport Systems ◽

Biomedical Monitoring ◽

Non Invasive ◽

And Performance ◽

And Control

With the increasing prevalence of growing population, aging and chronic diseases continuously rising healthcare costs, the healthcare system is undergoing a vital transformation from the traditional hospital-centered system to an individual-centered system. Since the 20th century, wearable sensors are becoming widespread in healthcare and biomedical monitoring systems, empowering continuous measurement of critical biomarkers for monitoring of the diseased condition and health, medical diagnostics and evaluation in biological fluids like saliva, blood, and sweat. Over the past few decades, the developments have been focused on electrochemical and optical biosensors, along with advances with the non-invasive monitoring of biomarkers, bacteria and hormones, etc. Wearable devices have evolved gradually with a mix of multiplexed biosensing, microfluidic sampling and transport systems integrated with flexible materials and body attachments for improved wearability and simplicity. These wearables hold promise and are capable of a higher understanding of the correlations between analyte concentrations within the blood or non-invasive biofluids and feedback to the patient, which is significantly important in timely diagnosis, treatment, and control of medical conditions. However, cohort validation studies and performance evaluation of wearable biosensors are needed to underpin their clinical acceptance. In the present review, we discuss the importance, features, types of wearables, challenges and applications of wearable devices for biological fluids for the prevention of diseased conditions and real-time monitoring of human health. Herein, we summarize the various wearable devices that are developed for healthcare monitoring and their future potential has been discussed in detail.

Download Full-text

Soft Material-Enabled Electronics for Medicine, Healthcare, and Human-Machine Interfaces

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma13030517 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 517

Author(s):

Robert Herbert ◽

Jae-Woong Jeong ◽

Woon-Hong Yeo

Keyword(s):

Soft Materials ◽

Wearable Devices ◽

Soft Material ◽

Seamless Integration ◽

Multiple Sensors ◽

Materials Integration ◽

Human Machine Interfaces ◽

Implantable Electronics ◽

Integration Strategies ◽

Soft Electronics

Soft material-enabled electronics offer distinct advantages over conventional rigid and bulky devices for numerous wearable and implantable applications. Soft materials allow for seamless integration with skin and tissues due to the enhanced mechanical flexibility and stretchability. Wearable devices with multiple sensors offer continuous, real-time monitoring of biosignals and movements, which can be applied for rehabilitation and diagnostics, among other applications. Soft implantable electronics offer similar functionalities, but with improved compatibility with human tissues. Biodegradable soft implantable electronics are also being developed for transient monitoring, such as in the weeks following surgeries. New composite materials, integration strategies, and fabrication techniques are being developed to further advance soft electronics. This paper reviews recent progresses in these areas towards the development of soft material-enabled electronics for medicine, healthcare, and human-machine interfaces.

Download Full-text

Wearable Technologies in Field Hockey Competitions: A Scoping Review

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21155242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5242

Author(s):

Jolene Ziyuan Lim ◽

Alexiaa Sim ◽

Pui Wah Kong

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Inertial Sensors ◽

Wearable Devices ◽

Field Hockey ◽

Heart Rate Monitors ◽

Search Terms ◽

Physiological Demands ◽

And Performance ◽

Future Work ◽

Skin Temperatures

The aim of this review is to investigate the common wearable devices currently used in field hockey competitions, and to understand the hockey-specific parameters these devices measure. A systematic search was conducted by using three electronic databases and search terms that included field hockey, wearables, accelerometers, inertial sensors, global positioning system (GPS), heart rate monitors, load, performance analysis, player activity profiles, and competitions from the earliest record. The review included 39 studies that used wearable devices during competitions. GPS units were found to be the most common wearable in elite field hockey competitions, followed by heart rate monitors. Wearables in field hockey are mostly used to measure player activity profiles and physiological demands. Inconsistencies in sampling rates and performance bands make comparisons between studies challenging. Nonetheless, this review demonstrated that wearable devices are being used for various applications in field hockey. Researchers, engineers, coaches, and sport scientists can consider using GPS units of higher sampling rates, as well as including additional variables such as skin temperatures and injury associations, to provide a more thorough evaluation of players’ physical and physiological performances. Future work should include goalkeepers and non-elite players who are less studied in the current literature.

Download Full-text

Transient provisioning and performance evaluation for cloud computing platforms: A capacity value approach

Performance Evaluation ◽

10.1016/j.peva.2017.10.001 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 118 ◽

pp. 48-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Brendan Patch ◽

Thomas Taimre

Keyword(s):

Cloud Computing ◽

Performance Evaluation ◽

Computing Platforms ◽

And Performance

Download Full-text

Piezoelectric Energy Generators Based on Spring and Inertial Mass

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma11112163 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2163 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sanghyun Yoon ◽

Jinhwan Kim ◽

Kyung-Ho Cho ◽

Young-Ho Ko ◽

Sang-Kwon Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Piezoelectric Materials ◽

Electric Energy ◽

Inertial Mass ◽

Design Parameters ◽

Mechanical Shock ◽

Generator System ◽

Energy Harvesters ◽

Shock Energy ◽

Piezoelectric Energy ◽

And Performance

In this study, inertial mass-based piezoelectric energy generators with and without a spring were designed and tested. This energy harvesting system is based on the shock absorber, which is widely used to protect humans or products from mechanical shock. Mechanical shock energies, which were applied to the energy absorber, were converted into electrical energies. To design the energy harvester, an inertial mass was introduced to focus the energy generating position. In addition, a spring was designed and tested to increase the energy generation time by absorbing the mechanical shock energy and releasing a decreased shock energy over a longer time. Both inertial mass and the spring are the key design parameters for energy harvesters as the piezoelectric materials, Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics were employed to store and convert the mechanical force into electric energy. In this research, we will discuss the design and performance of the energy generator system based on shock absorbers.

Download Full-text

Adherence with physical activity monitoring wearable devices in a community-based population: observations from the Washington, D.C., Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment

Translational Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1007/s13142-016-0454-0 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 719-730 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Leah R Yingling ◽

Valerie Mitchell ◽

Colby R Ayers ◽

Marlene Peters-Lawrence ◽

Gwenyth R Wallen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Needs Assessment ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Wearable Devices ◽

Activity Monitoring ◽

Community Based ◽

Physical Activity Monitoring

Download Full-text

Thermomechanical Interaction Between Thin Bare-Die Package and Thermal Solution in Next-Generation Mobile Computing Platforms

Journal of Electronic Packaging ◽

10.1115/1.4042801 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 141 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aastha Uppal ◽

Jerrod Peterson ◽

Je-Young Chang ◽

Xi Guo ◽

Frank Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Design Parameters ◽

Next Generation ◽

Mobile Platforms ◽

Robust Modeling ◽

Modeling Methodology ◽

Bga Packages ◽

Thermal Solution ◽

Computing Platforms ◽

And Performance ◽

On Chip

The demands for both thinner bare-die ball grid array (BGA) packages and thinner thermal solutions have added complexity for the thermal enabling design and material options associated with system on chip packages in mobile personal computer (PC) platforms. The thermomechanical interactions between the bare-die package and the thermal solution are very critical, creating the needs for: (1) an in-depth thermomechanical characterization to understand their impacts on product quality and performance and (2) a simple and yet robust modeling methodology to analyze design parameters using a commercially available software. In this paper, experimental metrologies and modeling methodology are developed with the details of contents documented. Validation of the newly developed tools and recommendation/guidance are also discussed for detailed assessments of thermomechanical tradeoffs for optimal design spaces for next-generation mobile platforms.

Download Full-text