A non-volatile version could be on its way, too.
Category: wearables – Page 22
AI wearable contraption gives you superhuman strength
A new way to experience adventure and challenge your limits.
Do you love exploring the great outdoors, but feel limited by your physical stamina or the weight of your backpack?
A robot startup, Hypershell from Y-Combinator China, has created an all-terrain exoskeleton that will take your outdoor adventures to the next level.
Transferring laser-induced graphene at extremely low temperatures for ultrathin bioelectronics
A recent study published in Nature Electronics discusses stretchable graphene–hydrogel interfaces for wearable and implantable bioelectronics.
Stretchable and conductive nanocomposites with mechanically soft, thin and biocompatible features play vital roles in developing wearable skin-like devices, smart soft robots and implantable bioelectronics.
Although several design strategies involving surface engineering have been reported to overcome the mechanical mismatch between the brittle electrodes and stretchable polymers, it is still challenging to realize monolithic integration of various components with diverse functionalities using the current ultrathin stretchable conductive nanocomposites. This is attributed to the lack of suitable conductive nanomaterial systems compatible with facile patterning strategies.
An artificial muscle device that produces force 34 times its weight
Soft robots, medical devices, and wearable devices have permeated our daily lives. KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) researchers have developed a fluid switch using ionic polymer artificial muscles that operates at ultra-low power and produces a force 34 times greater than its weight. Fluid switches control fluid flow, causing the fluid to flow in a specific direction to invoke various movements.
KAIST announced on the 4th of January that a research team under Professor IlKwon Oh from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a soft fluidic switch that operates at ultra-low voltage and can be used in narrow spaces.
The results have been published in Science Advances (“Polysulfonated Covalent Organic Framework as Active Electrode Host for Mobile Cation Guests in Electrochemical Soft Actuator”).
A new method to develop recyclable, organic and flexible electronics
The electronics industry has been in continuous development over the past decades, leading to the development, fabrication and sale of a broad range of consumer devices. In recent years, many engineers have been focusing their efforts on flexible electronics that can be used to create wearable devices, such as smartwatches, earbuds, fitness trackers, and even smart jewelry, and electronic implants for medical applications.
While significant progress has been made towards the development of flexible electronics, the widespread commercialization of a growing number of electronics has raised significant concerns related to their sustainability. Some research teams have thus been trying to identify environmentally-friendly materials and fabrication strategies, which could mitigate the adverse impact of the electronics industry on the planet.
Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea recently introduced a new method to create organic and flexible electronic devices with recyclable components. This method, outlined in a paper in Nature Electronics, relies on reusable materials and eco-friendly solvents that have a minimal impact on the environment.
Light-emitting textiles for diverse flexible and wearable displays
Textile research has highlighted the advances in electroluminescent threads as suitable biomaterials for driving growth in the wearable electronics market. While the direct embroidery of textiles with custom designs and patterns can offer substantial benefits, machine embroidery can challenge the integrity of these threads.
In a new report of applied science and engineering published in Science Advances, Seungse Cho and a team of scientists in biomedical engineering and medicine in the U.S., present embroiderable, multicolor, electroluminescent threads in blue, green, and yellow, that show compatibility with standard embroidery methods.
The researchers used the threads to stitch decorative designs onto a variety of consumer fabrics, without compromising their wearability or light-emitting capacity. The scientists illuminated specific messages or designs on the consumer products for the purpose of developing emergency alerts on helmet liners and as physical hazard signs.