Within this research a smart textile based light sensor was developed and integrated into a technical demonstrator of a remote identification system. This sensor is based on polymeric optical fibers (POFs) which contain fluorescent dopants and allows a remote detection using an optical laser pulse for identification. A possible use case for this system is remote identification to avoid “friendly fire” incidents.The smart textile sensor can be integrated with a very low footprint in protective textiles or other equipment of the individual. Besides defense applications, the system could also be adopted for applications in which a safe, secure and fast remote identification is needed.
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Smart Materials, book of ideas is het resultaat van en unieke samenwerking. Deskundigen en leveranciers van smart materials, designers van drie Twentse ontwerpbureaus en studenten Industrieel Product Ontwerpen van Saxion twee intensieve dagen met veel plezier samengewerkt aan dit “Book of Ideas”. Het project “Smart Materials, Book of Ideas” is een van de deelprojecten van het RAAK project “Materialen in Ontwerp” dat van januari 2007 tot medio 2008 gelopen heeft bij het Saxion Kenniscentrum Design en Technologie. Het doel van dit project is het expliciet onder de aandacht brengen van de mogelijkheden van een nieuwe klasse materialen voor het MKB: de “Smart Materials”. Alles is “smart” tegenwoordig en iedereen heeft het over nieuwe mogelijkheden, maar over wat voor materialen en eigenschappen hebben we het eigenlijk? Het is de bedoeling niet alleen een droge opsomming te geven van de eigenschappen en mogelijkheden van smart materials. De mogelijkheden die deze nieuwe materialen kunnen bieden worden tastbaar gemaakt door allerlei creatieve toepassingen te laten zien in (verbeterde) bestaande producten en geheel nieuwe concepten. Op deze wijze wordt geïllustreerd hoe deze nieuwe materialen kunnen bijdragen aan de functionaliteit van een product. De creatieve toepassingen zijn het resultaat van de brainstorm-tweedaagse met materiaaldeskundigen, designers en studenten ‘Industrieel Product Ontwerpen’ (IPO). Met dit boekwerkje wil het Saxion Kenniscentrum Design en Technologie bereiken dat productontwerpers en met name het MKB geïnteresseerd raakt in de mogelijkheden die smart materials direct of in toekomst kunnen bieden. Er ligt voor de bedrijven een grote kans om met deze nieuwe materialen succesvolle innovatieve producten te ontwikkelen.
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The working hypothesis for this research project is that it is possible to develop a new functional polymer printing process for the direct application of conductive polymer onto textiles. We will use the basic extrusion technology that is currently applied in 3D printing. Thus the aim is also expanding the knowledge and knowhow base of 3D printing and make this technology applicable for deposition of functional polymers on textiles in such a way that process parameters are clearly understood, and pre-defined final product specifications can be met. Thus the challenge is to apply conductive tracks with a simple one step process that fits the current textile production processes. This means that investigating polymer deposition onto textiles of bio based polymers like PLA, doped with carbon could be a versatile route to achieving economic and sustainable conducting textiles. If the mechanism underlying the bonding of doped PLA with textiles can be controlled for processing then a new route to achieving conductive grids would be opened.Paper written by the Saxion chair Smart Functional Materials and The Unversity of Twente for and accepted by the Autex Conference 2013 (22-24 May 2013, Dresden, Germany).
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Despite the recognized benefits of running for promoting overall health, its widespread adoption faces a significant challenge due to high injury rates. In 2022, runners reported 660,000 injuries, constituting 13% of the total 5.1 million sports-related injuries in the Netherlands. This translates to a disturbing average of 5.5 injuries per 1,000 hours of running, significantly higher than other sports such as fitness (1.5 injuries per 1,000 hours). Moreover, running serves as the foundation of locomotion in various sports. This emphasizes the need for targeted injury prevention strategies and rehabilitation measures. Recognizing this social issue, wearable technologies have the potential to improve motor learning, reduce injury risks, and optimize overall running performance. However, unlocking their full potential requires a nuanced understanding of the information conveyed to runners. To address this, a collaborative project merges Movella’s motion capture technology with Saxion’s expertise in e-textiles and user-centered design. The result is the development of a smart garment with accurate motion capture technology and personalized haptic feedback. By integrating both sensor and actuator technology, feedback can be provided to communicate effective risks and intuitive directional information from a user-centered perspective, leaving visual and auditory cues available for other tasks. This exploratory project aims to prioritize wearability by focusing on robust sensor and actuator fixation, a suitable vibration intensity and responsiveness of the system. The developed prototype is used to identify appropriate body locations for vibrotactile stimulation, refine running styles and to design effective vibration patterns with the overarching objective to promote motor learning and reduce the risk of injuries. Ultimately, this collaboration aims to drive innovation in sports and health technology across different athletic disciplines and rehabilitation settings.
In Europe nearly 10% of the population suffers from diabetes and almost 1% from Rheumatoid Arthritis which can lead to serious problems with mobility and active participation, especially in the ageing population. Pedorthists deliver personalised designed and manufactured orthopaedic footwear or insoles for these patients. However, despite their often laborious efforts upfront, the industry has very little means to quantify how successful the fitting and function of a shoe is. They have to rely on subjective, qualitative measures such as client satisfaction and diminishing of complaints. Although valuable, the need for objective quantitative data in this field is growing. Foot plantar pressure and shear forces are considered major indicators of potential foot problems. Devices to measure plantar pressure slowly gain terrain as providers of objective quantitative data to guide orthotic design and manufacturing. For shear forces however, measuring devices are not yet commercial available. Although shear forces are considered as a major contributor to ulcer formation in diabetic feet, their exact role still requires elucidation and quantification. This project aims to develop a prototype of an in-shoe wearable device that measures both shear forces and pressure using state-of-the-art developments in sensor technologies, smart textiles and wireless data transfer. The collaboration of pedorthists’ small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)’s with medical device engineering companies, knowledge institutes,technical universities and universities of applied sciences in this project will bring together the different fields of expertise required to create an innovative device. It is expected that the tool will be beneficial to improve the quality of pedorthists’ services and potentially reduce health insurance costs. Furthermore, it can be used in new shear forces research and open new business potential. However, the eventual aim is to improve patient care and help maintain personal mobility and participation in society.
