Engineers from Tufts University, USA, have created and demonstrated flexible thread-based sensors that
In their experiments, the researchers placed twothreads in the form of the letter "X" on the back of the subject's neck. Coated with electrically conductive carbon-based ink, the sensors detect movement as the filaments bend. When the subject made a series of head movements, wires sent signals to a small Bluetooth module, which then transmitted the data wirelessly to a computer or smartphone for analysis.
Scanning electron microscopy of threads coatedcarbon paint. On the left is a straight thread. Bending the coated filaments creates a strain (right) that changes their electrical conductivity — a value that can be used to calculate the degree of deformation (200 micron scale)
Data analysis included sophisticated machine tool approachestraining to interpret signals and transform them to quantify real-time head movements with 93% accuracy. Thus, the sensors and the processor track the movement without interference in the form of wires, bulky devices. Such clever threads will eliminate the use of cameras or the limitations of a room or laboratory space.
According to the researchers, although algorithms shouldbe specialized for each area of the body, the proof of principle demonstrates that thread sensors can be used to measure movement in other limbs. Skin patches or even tight-fitting clothing containing threads can be used to track movement in environments where measurement is most important. For example, on the road, in the workplace, or in the classroom. The fact that a camera is not required provides additional privacy.
This is a promising demonstration of how we can build sensors that monitor health, performance, and the environment in an unobtrusive way.
Yiwen Jiang, engineering student at Tufts University and first author of the study
On the road, a special patch tattoo will warnfatigue of the truck driver or other situations where the operator's vigilance is critical to monitor the movement of the head of a person about to fall asleep.
“If we can develop this technologyFurther, we will be able to find a wide range of applications in the healthcare sector,” concludes Jiang. “For example, those researching Parkinson's disease and other neuromuscular diseases could also track subjects' movements as they move around in their usual settings and daily lives to collect data on their condition and the effectiveness of treatment.”
Read more
Found a new kind of black hole that does not fit into the theory of relativity
Abortion and science: what will happen to the children who will give birth
Scientists have developed a replacement for the theory of relativity. What is the essence of the "theory of everything"?