Development of User-Friendly Wearable Electronic Textiles for Healthcare Applications

Abstract

This paper presents research into a user-friendly electronic sleeve (e-sleeve) with integrated electrodes in an array for wearable healthcare. The electrode array was directly printed onto an everyday clothing fabric using screen printing. The fabric properties and designed structures of the e-sleeve were assessed and refined through interaction with end users. Different electrode array layouts were fabricated to optimize the user experience in terms of comfort, effectivity and ease of use. The e-sleeve uses dry electrodes to facilitate ease of use and the electrode array can survive bending a sufficient number of times to ensure an acceptable usage lifetime. Different cleaning methods (washing and wiping) have been identified to enable reuse of the e-sleeve after contamination during use. The application of the e-sleeve has been demonstrated via muscle stimulation on the upper limb to achieve functional tasks (e.g., hand opening, pointing) for eight stroke survivors.

Wearable Electrical Stimulation to Improve Lymphatic Function

“…iii) An encapsulation layer (Fabink UV-IF1004) over the interconnections to provide protection for the conductive tracks and electrical insulation; iv) A carbon loaded rubber dry electrode layer (Fabink TC-E0002) to form a good connection between the conductive pads and the skin. A detailed description of the printer, screens, printing and curing processes used in the electrode fabrication is available in a previous publication [16].…”

“…ECG, EEG, EMG) [13][14][15] and treatment (e.g. stroke rehabilitation) [16]. Screen-printing is a straightforward and cost effective fabrication technique widely used in both the textile and printed electronics industries.…”

Recent Advances of Wearable Antennas in Materials, Fabrication Methods, Designs, and Their Applications: State-of-the-Art

“…Researchers have focused on conventional designs using textile materials and inkjet/screen printing methods [ 17 ]. However, they have not been able to solve all the existing challenges previously mentioned, despite showing some acceptable outcomes [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. Thus, it is imperative, in retrospect of the recent progress in wearable antennas and their applications in the WBAN systems.…”

Influence of textile structure on the wearability of printed e-textiles

“…Unlike laminated interfaces, printed interfaces ensure that printed e-textiles are fabricated in a single manufacturing process. A screen printed interface layer with an average thickness of 200 µm thick polyurethane film for printing strain gauges, heaters, ECG and EMG electrodes on Optic-White A1656 polyester-cotton fabric currently represents the state of the art [10,11]. At this thickness, the average surface roughness of the fabric is significantly reduced to less than 3 µm However, this interface layer contributes to more than 50 % of the total thickness of the printed e-textile which impacts on the comfort of an e-textile wearer.…”