Design and characterization of a textile extension sensor for sports and health applications

Abstract

Electronic textiles (e-textiles) are a form of textiles that, integrating technology, can add new functionalities or forms of expression. The fabric can, for instance, have sensing properties, emerging as a textile sensor, which is a subfield of the e-textiles, widely reported in literature. One such kind of sensors are the extension sensors, usually studied for breathing monitoring, posture detection or characterization of movements. There are several challenges associated with the production of a textile extension sensor with high precision and repeatability. This paper reports the design and development of a knit-based sensor that uses a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) adhesive and film to either bond or insulate the sensing area (respectively), in order to improve the sensor's performance. The sensors were found to be appropriate for measuring breathing rate, but not for absolute extension measurements. The use of elastic tape or TPU produced the most stable results.