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