Sensing Wearablesexploring sensors for wearable technology

Rain Ashford | http://rainycatz.wordpress

Agenda Introduction

Hello! Microcontrollers Makers, Hackers & communities

Sensors vs. Actuators What’s a sensor? What’s an actuator?

Examples of usage in wearable technology Conclusions on wearable technology

I create interactive wearables and art, working with many flavours of microcontrollers & various components…

LilyPad ArduinoMicrocontroller

Conductive Thread

E-Textiles

C (ish) Programming

Sensors

Actuators

Hacked Electronics

Conductive items

Wearables Sound Artworks Games All Interactive

LilyPad Arduino MicrocontrollerFabulousness

It’s sewable!

It’s open source – you can find the Eagle files & code libraries online

Good number of digital & analogue I/O

Great vector for encouraging girls/ boys /adults/ artists /anyone / to experience electronics

It’s round (dismisses the idea that electronics are sharp grey and cold)

Enthusiastic & helpful community

Could be improved!

It’s not cheap!

More modules please

Different sizes and shapes of board

Different microcontrollers

An industrial version with possibility of using different voltages

More competitors, to increase innovation

Different types of I/O

A few examples of my wearable electronics & artworks…

There’s a fantastic community for hardware & code hackers, makers & enthusiasts in the UK

..oh yes I was going to talk about sensors!

Components: Sensors vs. ActuatorsA sensor is an input device / an actuator an output device

Sensors

Input: stimulus / A physical quantity, property, or condition which is measured

Output: electrical signal - current, voltage, phase, frequency

Variations: output can sometimes be displacement: thermometers, magnetostrictive and piezoelectric sensors.

Some sensors combine sensing *and* actuation.

Actuators

Input: electrical signal - current, voltage, phase, frequency, etc,

Output: mechanical (force, pressure, displacement) or display function (light, display, dial indication, etc)

LEDs

LCD / OLED Display

Servos

Motors

Piezoelectric buzzers

Speakers

Electroluminescent Panels

Electroluminescent Wire

Actuatorsfor wearable technology include…

Optical, Light & Sound

Temperature & Humidity

Energy Harvesting

Radiation / Environment

Heart Rate

Proximity / object detection

Gas & Liquid / Chemical

Inertial

Biosensor

GPS

Compass / magnetic field

Weight

Pressure / Force

RFID

Electric Current / Potential

Touch

WiFi

EEG

Sensorsfor wearable technology include…

Some examples of projects using sensors in wearable technology…

Combines several sensors:

Heart

Blood Oxygen

Respiratory

Temperature

Future:

Looking into core temp via swallow-able thermometer pill to combat heat exhaustion

Sensors woven into fabrics

Bespoke sensor shirts

SportsMcLaren Human Telemetry System

Originally developed for F1, also used in sports such as football, rugby, & cycling

Currently in development to monitor:

Heart

Brain

Muscle activity

Could also be used for gaming

Powered from energy from:

Solar Cells

Electromagnetic Radiation

Features:

Stretchy – moves with skin

Less invasive than traditional sensors

No gels / sticky pads / wires

Adheres to the skin via water soluble plastic

MedicalUniversity of Illinois: Epidermal Electronics

Less than the width of a human hair, adheres to the skin like a temporary tattoo

Features:

Lightweight – paper/ hair thickness

Tough

Bifacial – absorbs light on both sides

Flexible

Can be used in various environmental conditions

Military / Extreme EnvironmentThe Australian National University: SLIVER cells

Lightweight and tough bifacial solar panels

Sensor Yarns might include:

Strain measurement

Temperature Measurement

Fluid / Gas Measurement

Radiation Sensing

Light measurement

Acoustic measurement

Motion detection

Pressure measuement

Self Monitoring / LifestyleNottingham Trent University: Micro device ‐

Encapsulation TechnologyElectronically Active Intelligent Yarn for Self Monitoring, Medical, Fashion & Industrial

Garments include use of:

Thermochromatic ink

Hydrochromic ink

Sound sensing

Electroluminescents

Holographic fabrics

Fashion / PerformanceRainbow Winters: Sensing Fashion

Uses sensing inks and components for fashion & performance garments

Sensor making instructions inc:

Conductive PomPom

Crochet Button

Crochet Tilt Poteniometer

Fabric Stretch Sensors

Felted Crochet Pressure

Knit Contact Switch

Knit Accelerometer

Art / MakingKOBAKANT: How To Get What You Want

Online database of range of wearable technology and soft circuit solutionshttp://www.kobakant.at

Wearable Tech / E-TextilesAn emerging technology

Is at a stage similar to where personal computing was in the 80s, but it’s on the verge of an explosion of ideas & manufacture

Interest in sensing wearables is predominant in entertainment, sport, medical, extreme envirnoments, military and lifestyle areas and is where the funding opportunities are

Obviously lots of opportunity al for innovation and room for more start-ups/creators – but artists and makers need more industry support working as sole traders with expensive components & flaky business arrangements

Exciting advancements in research for creators – such as embeded micro components, MEMS, inks and fabric pick & place sewing machines

Conductive embroidery / weave which has embeded LEDs, electroluminescents, sensors & acutators will change the aesthetics of designing circuitry

Wearable Tech / E-Textileswill be improved by…

Emerging tech could thrive faster with more open source collaboration and sharing of ideas

Smart fabrics & wearable technology is still looking for a killer app to bring it closer to mainstream acceptability / integration

Necessity for more standards and classifications

Sustainability – recycling, reusing, repurposing - supply chain isn’t yet set up for wearable tech

A lot of focus on the technology, but not enough on what the consumer wants: design, uses, size

Marketing focus – sales, dissemination, tech know how - how do we help the public understand and use?

Developments in battery / power supply tech: less bulky, better longevity, lighter, comfortable

Washable circuits, sensors and microcontrollers – to gain acceptability they need robustness and logivity

Many thanks!@Rainycat

http://rainycatz.wordpress.comRain Ashford 2011