Search

Advanced version of DAid® Pressure Sock System (DPSS) for walking/running gait monitoring is proposed. The system enables to study in details time –related parameters of gait, such as foot strike time, stride/swing time, gradients of plantar loading/unloading, etc. both indoor and outdoor. A new method of data processing, analysis and representation is developed for such systems with limited quantity of sensors and implemented in DPSS software. The method considers the foot loading as a propagation of the plantar pressure wave, where separate sensors record amplitudes of pressure waves as reference points. Data processing includes scaling procedure that is based on application of sample entropy as the measure of sensors activity. Processed data are represented in the form of loading wave plots (WPs). WPs show load propagation across the sensors during the gait/stance. Developed system and method were tested for different types of walk/run and corresponding WPs were constructed and evaluated by sport medicine doctors. Good agreement between WPs – based analysis and diagnoses made by direct observation during walk/run tests confirms system efficacy and validity of results. Proposed method essentially simplifies gait studies and interpretation of the results.

Movement retraining has proven to be a reliable way of treating compensatory movement faults, however, it is time-consuming and requires a lot of attention from a physiotherapist. Reliable movement retraining assistance system could enable patients to perform retraining exercises at home, thus increasing the possible exercise performance frequentness and consequently hasten the improvement. This paper describes a smart shirt system for movement retraining assistance. The smart shirt system is based on textile stretch sensors that are positioned over the typical movement fault sites for movement detection and monitoring. The information from the textile stretch sensors is used as visual feedback by the wearer for movement corrections. To verify the feasibility of the retraining assistance system, it was tested with a set of compensatory movement tests and retraining exercises. Each exercise was performed in a correct and incorrect manner, and the sensor measurement was analyzed to confirm the difference in measured signals between both cases. In total 11 exercises were performed to cover all of the typical compensatory movement sites, and for each retraining exercise, at least one sensor was identified, whose measurement could be used as feedback for the particular exercise.

Manual therapy is used to treat patients with neck pain, and mobilization techniques are practiced clinically by physiotherapists. To evaluate the effectiveness of therapy it is necessary to measure the applied manual therapy forces. We present the sensitive glove concept designed to measure the forces applied during therapy. The sensitive glove is equipped with multiple textile-based sensors connected by sewing technology, in which changes in electrical resistance were observed due to the applied force. The number and position of sensors were defined basing on the experience of manual therapists and practicable techniques. Glove fabrication technologies were tested practically – sensors were glued and sewn on the base material and simple conductive threads were sewn by hand and with a sewing machine. Technological solutions were evaluated both in terms of visual and technical aspects. The final version of the sensitive glove was assessed by an expert and recommendations were given for improving further prototypes.

The conductive yarn is an essential component of the smart textile making the product light and comfortable to wear. Nevertheless, one of the most common problems is care that limits the use of the product. Application of additional coating to the yarn renders it water-repellent properties and allows reduction of the negative impact of water on its performance. During the research additional coatings were applied to conductive yarns, with the aim of minimizing electrical resistivity changes caused by washing cycles. Two types of coatings were applied to the yarns, they were washed and tested. The article describes changes in the electrical resistance of different conductors depending on the linear density of the yarn, the type of coating applied and the number of washing cycles. The electrical resistance of electrically conductive yarns increases with washing until they become non-conductive. The electrical resistance of non-textured yarns increases more slowly and the smaller increase is observed in thick yarns. The water-repellent silicone coating applied to yarns reduces the electrical resistance increase rate and the yarns retain their conductivity over more washing cycles.