Interdepartmental
Research Center
"E. Piaggio"
University of Pisa

Kinesthetic sensing and smart fabrics

Bioengineering
Research
Activities

Tactile sensing
Kinesthetic sensing and smart fabrics
Artificial olfaction
Sensory fusion in food quality assessment

Fiber optic immunosensor

Smart catheters
Smart laparoscopy

Tissue engineering

Polymer actuators
Gels as tissue analogs
2D and 3D soft- lithography

The fabrication of smart electronic and electromechanical systems onto substrates which are not only flexible but ideally conformable to the human body may represent a breakthrough in various areas of application and may open new areas in man-machine interface technology, such as ergonomics and rehabilitation engineering.

We have shown that conducting polymer coated fabrics show piezo and thermoresistivity and have remarkable transducing properties in terms of strain gauge factor and temperature sensitivity. They enable the realisation of truly wearable instrumented garments capable of recording surface temperature maps and kinetic and dynamic data on human motor function, with no discomfort for the wearer and no alteration of signals caused by sensor-body mechanical mismatch.

A sensorised fabric glove, leotard, and sock have been developed to outline the potentiality of the technique in the field of metrology and for biomechanics.

       
The sensorised glove                                Sensorised leotard

Force map of sensorised sock

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Alberto Mazzoldi (alberto@socrates.piaggio.ccii.unipi.it)