13. Skin Electronics

This week was focussed on interesting technology of Soft Robotics and experiment some new techniques to embed electronics within fashion industry.

The development of highly sensitive, stretchable, and wearable textile-based electronic skin is of great value for application in human health monitoring, robot skin, and intelligent electronic devices

The real life behavioural sequence is of a woman walking on the street, during this time she subconsciously uses her ability of alertness to keep an eye out for anything mysterious. When she hears someone coming up really fast behind her or coming closer to her, her human ability of alertness increases and she becomes extremely aware of whether this person will sneak up on her. This is mimicked with technology by using the interactive clothing of a glove, 3 LEDs, and a touch sensor. The LEDs original state is just lit up, and as you push the touch sensor the LEDs will blink repeatedly nonstop, like the person being extremely alert.

Skin Electronics

Inspiration

Wireless Wearable Health Monitor

Introduction

Soft and conformable electronics are emerging rapidly and is envisioned as the future of next-generation electronic devices where devices can be readily deployed in various environments, such as on-body, on-skin or as a biomedical implant. Modern day electronics require electrical conductors as the fundamental building block for stretchable electronic devices and systems. In this review, we will study the various strategies and methods of designing and fabricating materials which are conductive, stretchable and self-healable, and explore relevant applications such as flexible and stretchable sensors, electrodes and energy harvesters.

Skin Electronics

Useful Research

Weekly Assignment

My concept involves ‘alertness’. In the real life behaviour sequence, a woman is walking, and when she hears someone behind her getting closer, she becomes alert and turns her head behind to see who it is. I decided on this concept because of constantly hearing about the attacks on UBC students and how they weren’t alert enough to notice someone sneaking up on them.

How this will be mimicked with technology is creating a soft circuit and using conductive wire, I will be connecting the circuit/switch to a glove which will serve as the interactive skin. I will be sewing in multiple LEDs in the center of the glove. As someone is approaching the woman, the glove mimics that by being all lit up. Once the woman senses someone behind them, she becomes alert, like when you push the switch, the LEDs on the glove changes state and blinks really quickly repeatedly. The glove warns you that someone is behind you and signifying you to notice your surroundings more.

or coming closer to her, her human ability of alertness increases and she becomes extremely aware of whether this person will sneak up on her. This is mimicked with technology by using the interactive clothing of a glove, 3 LEDs, and a touch sensor. The LEDs original state is just lit up, and as you push the touch sensor the LEDs will blink repeatedly nonstop, like the person being extremely alert.

Smart Glove
Arduino Code

Code

int LDR = 2;
int ledpin = 13;
int val = 0;

void setup() {
PinMode(LDR, INPUT);
PinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
val = analogRead(LDR);
if (val < 200) {
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);   
  delay(200);                     
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);   
  delay(200);  
  }
  // wait for a second
  else {
      digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); 
  }
}