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Posted by Okachinepa on 05/20/2025 @
Courtesy of SynEVOL
Credit: ETH Zurich
Envision donning a T-shirt that tracks your respiration or gloves that convert your hand gestures into instructions for your computer. Scientists at ETH Zurich, under the guidance of Daniel Ahmed, a Professor of Acoustic Robotics in Life Sciences and Healthcare, have established the groundwork for these advanced textiles.
In contrast to numerous earlier advancements in this field that typically utilize electronics, the ETH researchers depend on acoustic waves transmitted through glass fibers. This enhances the accuracy of the measurements and results in textiles that are lighter, more breathable, and simpler to clean. "They are also affordable since we utilize easily accessible materials, and the energy usage is minimal," states Ahmed.
The researchers refer to their creation as SonoTextiles. They have converted ordinary materials into intelligent sensors that respond to touch, pressure, and motion. "Although studies have been done on acoustic-based smart textiles, we are pioneering the investigation of glass fiber combined with signals that operate at varying frequencies," says Yingqiang Wang.
The scientists have integrated glass fibers into the material at consistent intervals. At one end of every glass fiber, there is a tiny transmitter that releases sound waves. At the opposite end of every glass fiber, there is a receiver that gauges if the waves have altered.
Every transmitter operates at a distinct frequency. This indicates that minimal computing resources are needed to identify the fiber on which the sound waves have altered. Earlier smart textiles frequently faced challenges with data overload and signal processing, as each sensor location needed to be assessed separately. "According to Ahmed, in the future, data may be transmitted instantly to a computer or smartphone."
As a glass fiber shifts, the length of the acoustic waves traveling through it alters, as they diminish in energy. For a T-shirt, this may be due to body motion or even respiration. "Wang highlights that we utilized ultrasonic frequencies, approximately 100 kilohertz—far exceeding the limits of human hearing, typically from 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz."
Courtesy of SynEVOL
Credit: ETH Zurich
The scientists have demonstrated that their idea is effective in the laboratory. In the future, SonoTextiles may be utilized in multiple applications: as a shirt or T-shirt, they could track the respiration of asthma sufferers and activate an alert in an emergency situation.
In sports training and performance tracking, athletes may obtain immediate assessment of their movements to enhance their performance and avert injuries. The fabrics could also be used for sign language: gloves incorporating this technology might simultaneously convert hand gestures into text or spoken words. They may also be utilized in virtual or augmented reality settings.
"SonoTextiles has the potential to assess an individual's posture and enhance their quality of life as an aid technology," states Chaochao Sun, who is a co-first author of the research. Individuals seeking to enhance their posture could obtain specific feedback to rectify bad posture. The fabrics might also show when a wheelchair user must shift positions to avoid pressure sores.
Despite the high potential for daily use of SonoTextiles, Ahmed notes that there remains potential for enhancement concerning practical implementation. Glass microfibers performed effectively as sound conductors in laboratory settings, but they might fail during regular usage.
"The advantage is that we can effortlessly substitute the glass fibers with metal." "Ahmed explains that sound travels efficiently through metal." "We aim to broaden our research in this area and explore additional applications as well." The researchers aim to strengthen the system and investigate how the electronics can seamlessly blend into the textiles.
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