A dedicated wearable device integrated in textiles

Abstract

The wearable devices have a big role in increasing the quality of life that should take into account also the persons with disabilities. Our research focuses on a certain category of persons with disabilities, namely those with visual impairments. Thus, once again the technological progress must be capitalized in favour of the less fortunate. We propose an original device easy to use and integrate into any textile product. The device contains a microcontroller, sensors and actuators. The sensors collect information from the outside world and provide a “picture” of it by means of tactile and acoustic actuators. The research opens the possibility of designing of fabrics using nanotechnology to have sensors and actuators directly into the fabric.