Each of us has his own relationship with the body. Many know him well and know how to interpret the signs of tiredness that arrive. Others tend to underestimate them, and sometimes (especially for sportsmen or sensitive people) it can be a costly mistake.
A research team fromETH in Zurich led by professor Charles Menon has developed an elastic textile sensor that integrates directly into the fibers of the fabric of a pair of leggings. No more cumbersome and expensive electronic components, or complicated maintenance: just wear these shorts and we will find all the data on our body on our mobile phone.
How anti-fatigue shorts work
The special fabric used in the leggings has an internal conductive and elastic fiber wrapped in a rigid spiral thread. The two fibers act as electrodes, creating an electric field and a capacitor capable of storing an electric charge.
As the leggings are worn and the fabric stretches, the distance between the two fibers varies, changing the electric field and the charge of the capacitor.
The sensitivity of the system is very high: even a slight extension causes discernible fluctuations in the sensor charge, allowing even the smallest variations to be measured and analysed.
The tests
Il sensor it was tested on a group of runners wearing similar leggings. The electrical signals were recorded as the runners fatigued. This data has been used to create a model that can predict runners' levels of fatigue, which can now be applied to the textile sensor.
Of course, more testing and data collection will be needed to ensure accurate predictions outside the laboratory, but the principle is formidable. The researchers are already working on turning the prototype into a product.
Details of the team's work have been published in the journal Advanced Materials (I link it here).
Read it! Always if you are not too tired.
