Smart Printed Sensors Monitor Movement Sequences

A novel motion sensor material can be printed onto different textiles, enabling smart garments that can track activity.

Developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC, Würzburg, Germany), the sensor materials are thinner than a human hair, and so hardly noticeable when embedded in a garment; they are also flexible and transparent. The manufacturing process includes two steps: first, the sensor pattern is printed; then, the sensors are subjected to an electric field that aligns the piezolectric polymers so as to adopt the targeted pressure sensitivity. The sensors do not require any power source, but harvest energy to power themselves.

According to ISC, the cost-efficient screenprinting process of the piezoelectric polymer sensor is key to the mass production of printed sensors on textiles, with freedom of design in color and form for the garments. And since they register pressure and deformation, they are also suitable for a range of applications besides integration into smart textiles, such as in touch or motion sensors. Their thermal sensitivity also enables monitoring of temperature variations or non-contact interaction, such as in proximity sensors.

ISC and the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology (ISIT; Itzehoe, Germany), together with several industry partners, will incorporate the sensors into a prototype shirt that will feature a number of functions, including monitoring movement sequences. The next development steps will include field testing on several types of textiles and applications, further optimization of the electronics, and wear and washability tests. The innovative textile was presented at IDTechEX Europe, held in Berlin (Germany) during April 2016.

Smart textiles can be used in healthcare or assisted living settings to monitor everyday life. Additionally, it would be possible to monitor vital signs such as temperature or respiration, which could be especially beneficial for bedridden patients or babies. Last but not least, functional sensor clothing could achieve cost reductions in the health care system by promoting preventive health care.

Related Links:
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research
Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology