PFI: BIC Wearable Smart Textiles Based on Programmable and Automated Knitting Technology for Biomedical and Sensor Actuation Applications

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Many medical conditions would benefit from continuous patient monitoring and treatment, although this is currently impractical due to the cumbersome nature of current medical equipment. Recent advancements in specialized materials and fabrication technologies offer exciting opportunities to create seamless garments as sensors and actuators for biomedical applications. Knitting fabrication, known as the intermeshing of yarns into loops (resulting in fabrics), is an ancient form of textile production widely used in the fashion industry. Knitting technology has gained a great deal of attention in the field of wearable electronics and could become a widespread method of construction for smart textiles in the future. In this PFI:BIC project from Drexel University, the aim is to replace current bulky medical monitoring devices with a line of lightweight smart garments. The fiber content of these garments will be similar to those commonly used in active wear such as wicking polyester to insure breathability and comfort, while the actuators and sensors, made of smart materials, will be strategically placed in the clothing to comprise only a small percentage of the material used. The project will leverage intellectual property pertaining to fabric-based connectors, microwave antennas, super capacitors, and robotics, to integrate smart fabric sensors and actuators into comfortable clothing, providing unobtrusive sensing and treatment options that are not currently possible. For textile communication, active and passive transceivers will be fabricated through knitting of different microwave structures. These knit microwave structures will also be used along with processing of passive RFID signals to create mechanical strain sensors. Mechanical actuation will be realized through knit robot technology making use of shape memory alloys. The knit antennas will be combined with knit supercapacitors to create wireless power systems for body area sensor networks. Focus groups with patients and healthcare practitioners will determine market needs. Prototype garments will be beta tested with sample target users. Industrial partners will provide raw materials, manufacturing advice, and commercialization expertise. Key is Shima Seiki knitting technology at Drexel University, which enables customization and innovation in the design and fabrication of wearable and machine washable smart (with integrated power and circuitry) textiles capable of wireless sensing and actuated treatment applications. Target applications that are the focus of this project will include a "bellyband" for uterine contraction monitoring during pregnancy, medical sensor patches, and knit robots for therapeutic massage. Drexel University has formed an interdisciplinary academic team including expertise from industrial and fashion design, materials and electrical engineering, nursing and medicine, as well as management and entrepreneurship. To complement this academic team, a three-tier industry partnership representing all levels of production and commercialization has been formed. The Material Suppliers tier includes EY Technologies (small business, Fall River, MA), custom-engineering groups providing creative solutions for the development of specialized yarns allowing for the creation of raw materials with unique functionality for novel biomedical smart textiles. The Fabrication tier includes Shima Seiki USA (large business, Monroe Township, NJ), a leader in 3D knitting simulation software and computerized knitting machines to manufacture biomedical smart textiles at both laboratory and production scale. Finally, in the Commercialization tier, NetScientific America (small business, Harrison, NY) augmented by the industrial advisory board of the Drexel Coulter Translational Research program will help determine commercial viability of various biomedical smart textile solutions and carry promising technologies to the market. Ben Franklin Technology Partners/Southeastern PA (non-profit, Philadelphia, PA) will serve as a broader context partner building upon experience in launching university/industry partnerships that accelerate scientific discoveries to commercialization and seeding regional initiatives that strengthen the regional entrepreneurial community.