This document discusses technology integration into textiles for healthcare applications. It summarizes a research project that involves developing smart textiles with integrated sensors through several partners. The goals are to provide core modules for designing and manufacturing sensing and acting textiles from fibers to clothes. Healthcare demonstrators discussed include socks for monitoring oxygen levels and smart underwear to prevent ulcers in paraplegic patients.

1. TecInTex:
Technology Integration into Textiles:
Empowering Health
Gerhard Tröster

2. Structure
• Partners
– ETH Zürich (G. Tröster: Electronics Lab)
– EMPA St Gallen, Dübendorf (R.Rossi, M.Heuberger, F.
Clemens)
– CSEM Neuchatel (S.Pasche, J. Luprano)
– University Hospital Zurich (M. Wolf)
– Paraplegic Center Nottwil (U.Baumberger)
– industrial partners
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 2/1

3. Mission of TecInTex:
Provide the core modules to design and to manufacture
sensing and acting textiles
From fibres to clothes to people
Fibres Fabrics Clothes
Evaluation
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 3/1

4. ‚Healthcare Demonstrators‘
• NIRS (Near Infrared Spectroscopy)
in socks images O2 enough O2
– Early detection and lack of O2
Detector
treatment of peripheral
vascular disease (PVD) Light
Source
• ‚Intelligent‘ underwear for paraplegic people to prevent and
to treat ulcer
High decubitus risk
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 4/1

5. Highlights
• Fibers e & o
– protection
– insulation
– sensing
• Woven electronics
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 5/1

6. PU coatings of silver fibres
2.5
coating thickness (microns)
2
Coating Thickness-
1.5 Coatings thicker than 2
2.5 to 3 microns microns have
1 resistance > 1 MΩ
0.5
Resistance (Ω/cm)
0
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 6/1

7. Layer-by-Layer Coating
+
Primer Polyanhydride Polyamine Activated
Fatty Acid
PVAm,(protective)
PEI
Silver Gantrez
PVAm
(protective)
Silver pure ( corroded)
PEI
Silver PScMAA
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 7/1

8. Piezoresistive strain sensor fiber
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 8/1

9. Tensile Test
Cyclic tensile (ε= 13-30%) test on woven elastic band (L0= 25mm)
with 2 integrated piezoresistive sensor fibres
0.7 30
0.5 25
0.3 20
Resistance [kΩ]
Force [N]
0.1 15
13
-0.1 10
11 Relaxation
-0.3 5 of 2nd cycle:
1%
9
-0.5 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Force Resistance Time [s] 7
5
100 150 200 250
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 9/1

10. O-Fiber: Polymeric Optical Fibers (POF)
• Glas PMMA Poly(methyl methacrylate) too brittle and too
thick ( > 250μm)
therapy lighting
POF
sensing
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 10/1

11. Melt-Spinning Equipment for Bi-component Fiber
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 11/1

12. First Bi-component Fiber
Oct/Nov 2010 Dec 2010
Light attenuation: 47 dB/m Light attenuation: <10dB/m
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 12/1

13. Biosensing using optical Fibers
• Monitoring of pH and protease activity in chronical wounds
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 13/1

14. Principle
• Sensing layer around the fiber: sol-gel
• pH dyes, change in light absorbance
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 14/1

15. Flexible polymer optical fibers (POF) for biosensing
Sol-gel coated POF
150 µm polymer fiber
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 15/1

16. E-Stripes: Thin film technology into textiles
• Planar thinfilm technology
– Sensors
– Transistors
– Integrated circuits
• Small (< 0.5mm) stripes woven into
textiles
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 16/1

17. Weaving Machine
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 17/1

18. Mechanical strain during Weaving
R = 165µm
Electronic fiber 200µm
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 18/1

19. IGZO-TFTs : bendable ?
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 19/1

20. VDD In
Out
Amplifier
Rf TFT
Out
Rl
Rf
In TFT
GND VDD
1 mm
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 20/1

21. CO Sensor Polyanaline based
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 21/1

22. Challenges
• Adaptation to industrial manufacturing processes
• Design of the demonstrator
– clinical environment
– biocompatibility approval
– ethics
May 13, 2011 G. Tröster 22/1