The technological evolution of recent years has made portable and easy to connect powerful computing systems (tablets, smartphones, smartwatches) available at low cost, which, in turn, have generated a growing demand for sensors capable of monitoring the most different physical parameters.
In particular, the wearable device sector is constantly looking for solutions for monitoring vital parameters in healthcare, sports and occupational safety environments.
In collaboration with an important research institute, Nadir has developed a flexible and stretchable elastomeric thermoplastic material that can be used both as an electrical conductor and as a piezoresistive sensor. The resistivity of objects made with this compound changes reversibly as the deformation induced by the application of low tensile or compressive stresses varies.
This material, supplied in filament form, can be used, fo roinstance, to make chest straps for respiratory activity monitoring [1] or wearable devices for limb movement tracking [2].
References:
[1] Maita F. et al., Characterization of high-sensitive thermoplastic strain gauge sensor as wearable tool for monitoring spacesuit movement impediment, 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace), Naples, Italy, 2021, 387
[2] Maita F. et al., Application of Unconditioned Nanostructured Thermoplastic-Based Strain Gauge Sensor in Wearable Electronics, IEEE Sensors Journal 2022, 22(24), 24019
