E-textiles based wearable electrode garment for rehabilitation and active living

当人们遭受疼痛和身体功能障碍时，就会导致不活动。缺乏运动往往会使现有健康状况的症状（例如与肌肉骨骼疾病相关的疼痛和僵硬）恶化，并增加跌倒、肥胖和严重疾病（例如心血管和呼吸系统疾病）的风险。英国公共卫生部估计，缺乏体育活动每年使英国损失74亿英镑。由于Covid - 19封锁和人口老龄化导致目前生活方式的变化，这一数字将会增加，因为到2046年，近25%的人将是65岁及以上。电刺激（ES）是一种电疗设备，它通过放置在皮肤上的电极发送温和的电流，从而缓解疼痛和锻炼肌肉。它可以刺激感觉神经，阻止疼痛信号传递到大脑。它还可以刺激运动神经和肌肉，使肌肉收缩，以协助功能运动和恢复失去的功能。本项目将开发一种可穿戴电极服装（袖子/袖口），可以取代传统的一次性水凝胶电极用于电疗设备。这种新型电极是一种柔软的皮肤状材料，佩戴起来很舒服。袖子/袖口的服装设计将使用户可以在身体的不同部位（手臂/腿/关节）使用它。该服装使用方便，经久耐用，可穿一年以上。它将使人们能够独立进行有规律的锻炼，从而改善身体机能，增进健康，减少家庭、社区和社会的压力。影响力基金的延期将使Etexsense能够1)开发具有成本效益的制造工艺，并为扩大规模建立伙伴关系；2)与汉普郡健康中心合作，测试该设备的疼痛缓解应用并开发证明；3)为产品上市做准备（如分销渠道、产品销售网站）。

Inactivity can result when people suffer pain and physical functional disability. Lack of exercise often worsens the symptoms of existing health conditions (e.g. the pain and stiffness associated with musculoskeletal disease) and increase the risk of falls, obesity and critical illness (e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory disease). Public Health England estimates that lack of physical activity costs the UK £7.4 billion a year. This number will increase with the current change in lifestyle due to Covid 19 lockdown and the aging population since nearly 25% will be 65 and above by 2046.Electrical stimulation (ES) is a type of electrotherapy device which sends a mild current through electrodes placed on the skin resulting in pain relief and muscle exercise. It can stimulate the sensory nerve to block pain signals from travelling to the brain. It can also stimulate the motor nerves and muscles to enable muscle contraction to assist functional movement and regain lost functions.This project will develop a wearable electrode garment (sleeve/cuff) that can replace the traditional disposable hydrogel electrodes used in electrotherapy devices. The novel electrode is a soft and skin-like material that is comfortable to wear. The sleeve/cuff garment design will enable users to use it on different parts of the body (arms/legs/joints). The garment is easy to use and durable lasting for over one year. It will allow people to undertake regular exercise independently leading to improved physical function, increased wellbeing and reducing strain on families, communities and the society. The extension for impact fund will allow Etexsense to 1) develop cost effective manufacturing process and build partnership for scale-up; 2) collaborate with Hampshire Wellbeing Centre to test the device for pain relief applications and develop testimonials; 3) prepare for the product launching (e.g. distribution channels, website for product sales).