Dressware: wearable piezo- and thermoresistive fabrics for ergonomics and rehabilitation

Author

De Rossi, D. ; Santa, A.D. ; Mazzoldi, A.

Author_Institution

Fac. of Eng., Pisa Univ., Italy

Volume

5

fYear

1997

fDate

1997

Firstpage

1880

Abstract

Polymeric semiconductors in the form of spun fibers and fiber coatings possess electromechanical transduction properties suitable for the implementation of smart fabrics incorporating distributed strain and temperature sensors and contractile actuators. In addition, “all-polymer” flexible devices acting as active electronic components (transistors) have been recently disclosed (F. Garnier et al., Science, vol. 265, p. 1684-6, 1994), making eventually possible the implementation of processing functions into fabric substrates. The key element to realize sensorized fabrics systems is to reach a form which allows their integration into wearable garments

Keywords

actuators; biomedical materials; ergonomics; intelligent materials; patient rehabilitation; polymer fibres; strain sensors; temperature sensors; active electronic components; all-polymer flexible devices; contractile actuators; distributed strain; dressware; electromechanical transduction properties; fabric substrates; fiber coatings; polymeric semiconductors; smart fabrics; spun fibers; thermoresistive fabrics; wearable garments; wearable piezoresisitive fabrics; Capacitive sensors; Coatings; Electronic components; Fabrics; Intelligent actuators; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber sensors; Polymer films; Temperature sensors; Thermoresistivity;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 1997. Proceedings of the 19th Annual International Conference of the IEEE

Conference_Location

Chicago, IL

ISSN

1094-687X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4262-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.1997.758700

Filename

758700