Digital electronics in fibres enable fabric-based machine-learning inference

Abstract

Digital devices are the essential building blocks of any modern electronic system. Fibres containing digital devices could enable fabrics with digital system capabilities for applications in physiological monitoring, human-computer interfaces, and on-body machine-learning. Here, a scalable preform-to-fibre approach is used to produce tens of metres of flexible fibre containing hundreds of interspersed, digital temperature sensors and memory devices with a memory density of ~7.6 × 105 bits per metre. The entire ensemble of devices are individually addressable and independently operated through a single connection at the fibre edge, overcoming the perennial single-fibre single-device limitation and increasing system reliability. The digital fibre, when incorporated within a shirt, collects and stores body temperature data over multiple days, and enables real-time inference of wearer activity with an accuracy of 96% through a trained neural network with 1650 neuronal connections stored within the fibre. The ability to realise digital devices within a fibre strand which can not only measure and store physiological parameters, but also harbour the neural networks required to infer sensory data, presents intriguing opportunities for worn fabrics that sense, memorise, learn, and infer situational context.

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“…Loke et al discuss the realization of wearable devices for monitoring the physiological states of human body integrated through digital fiber in a shirt [57]. Some devices are used such as temperature sensors and memory devices as the collected data are proceeded through the neural network algorithm.…”

Challenges and emerging opportunities in transistor-based ultrathin electronics: design and fabrication for healthcare applications

“…As a technology in the lab scale, the concept of healthcare service via ultrathin electronics is gradually replenished with bioelectronics recording, motion detection and signal processing 51,70,132,235 (see Fig. 10I).…”

Move With the Theremin: Body Posture and Gesture Recognition Using the Theremin in Loose-Garment With Embedded Textile Cables as Antennas

“…Furthermore, the placement of discrete and rigid sensors around the joints could be uncomfortable for the user. In Loke et al (2021), the authors employed 100 microchips with memory and temperature sensors interconnected in a flexible fiber on a T-shirt, which is a solution to increase the flexibility and comfort of the user while wearing discrete sensors, a promising idea to explore in the future.…”