Exploring the electrical robustness of conductive textile fasteners for wearable devices in different human motion conditions

Abstract

Conventional snap fasteners used in clothing are often used as electrical connectors in e-textile and wearable applications for signal transmission due to their wide availability and ease of use. Nonetheless, limited research exists on the validation of these fasteners, regarding the impact of contact-induced high-amplitude artefacts, especially under motion conditions. In this work, three types of fasteners were used as electromechanical connectors, establishing the interface between a regular sock and an acquisition device. The tested fasteners have different shapes and sizes, as well as have different mechanisms of attachment between the plug and receptacle counterparts. Experimental evaluation was performed under static conditions, slow walking, and rope jumping at a high cadence. The tests were also performed with a test mass of 140 g. Magnetic fasteners presented excellent electromechanical robustness under highly dynamic human movement with and without the additional mass. On the other hand, it was demonstrated that the Spring snap buttons (with a spring-based engaging mechanism) presented a sub-optimal performance under high motion and load conditions, followed by the Prong snap fasteners (without spring), which revealed a high susceptibility to artefacts. Overall, this work provides further evidence on the importance and reliability of clothing fasteners as electrical connectors in wearable systems.