Abstract
The wearable electronics integrated with textile-based devices is a promising strategy to meet the requirements of human comfort as well as electrical performances. This research presents a design and development framework for a seamless glove sensor system using digital knitting fabrication. Based on the performance requirements of glove sensors for controlling a prosthetic hand, desirable design components include electrical conductivity, comfort, formfit, electrical sensitivity, and customizable design. These attributes are determined and achieved by applying appropriate materials and fabrication technologies. In this study, a digital knitting CAD/CAM system is utilized to meet the desired performance criteria, and two prototypes of the seamless glove sensor systems are successfully developed for the detection of both human and robotic finger motions. This digital knitting system will provide considerable potential for customized design development as well as a sustainable production process. This structured, systematic approach could be adapted in the future development of wearable electronic textile systems.
Highlights
Electronic textiles can provide several advantages, including enhanced accessibility, comfort, and durability, flexibility, and stretchability in diverse fields such as sensors and actuators, energy generators, transistors, and capacitors (Bae et al 2014; Choong et al 2014; Nassour and Hamker 2019; Ryu et al 2018)
Design and development framework To develop the framework for a smart glove system, we closely worked with researchers in bio-robotics labs to understand the user needs and required performances
To meet the user specifications, customization properties were added into the framework and achieved through digital fabrication technology
Summary
Electronic textiles can provide several advantages, including enhanced accessibility, comfort, and durability, flexibility, and stretchability in diverse fields such as sensors and actuators, energy generators, transistors, and capacitors (Bae et al 2014; Choong et al 2014; Nassour and Hamker 2019; Ryu et al 2018). Various approaches have attempted to embed conductive materials into textile structures, including coating or printing on the textile surface (Li et al 2020; Uzun et al 2019), stitching patterns with conductive thread with a sewing machine or embroidery machine (Shin et al 2018), and developing woven or knitted electronic textiles with functional yarns (Fan et al 2020; Wu et al 2018). The knit structure of these textiles is composed of consecutive rows of interconnected yarn. The combination of elastane fiber with conventional yarns provides loop dimensions of shape, length, and width that are crucial parameters of the physical, mechanical and dimensional properties of knitted fabrics (Azim et al 2014; Sitotaw 2018)
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