Wearable sensors styled into t-shirts and face masks
Imperial researchers have embedded new low-cost sensors that monitor breathing, heart rate, and ammonia into t-shirts and face masks.
Potential applications range from monitoring exercise, sleep, and stress to diagnosing and monitoring disease through breath and vital signs.
Spun from a new Imperial-developed cotton-based conductive thread called PECOTEX, the sensors cost little to manufacture. Just $0.15 produces a meter of thread to seamlessly integrate more than ten sensors into clothing, and PECOTEX is compatible with industry-standard computerized embroidery machines.
First author of the research Fahad Alshabouna, Ph.D. candidate at Imperial's Department of Bioengineering, said, "The flexible medium of clothing means our sensors have a wide range of applications. They're also relatively easy to produce which means we could scale up manufacturing and usher in a new generation of wearables in clothing."
The researchers embroidered the sensors into a face mask to monitor breathing, a t-shirt to monitor heart activity, and textiles to monitor gases like ammonia, a component of the breath that can be used to detect liver and kidney function. The ammonia sensors were developed to test whether gas sensors could also be manufactured using embroidery.
Fahad added: "We demonstrated applications in monitoring cardiac activity and breathing, and sensing gases. Future potential applications include diagnosing and monitoring disease and treatment, monitoring the body during exercise, sleep, and stress, and use in batteries, heaters, and anti-static clothing."
Face mask sensors measure breathing rate, and t-shirt sensors measure heart rate. Credit: Güder Research Group
(a) Synthesis of PECOTEX and a photograph of the produced thread on a bobbin. Inset shows the chemical structure of the product; (b) Process for computerised embroidery of patterns using PECOTEX and 1 mm thick silicone substrates. Credit: Güder Research Group