Electronics Design
both industry and government sources. We have not yet isolated one market or application that we would like to pursue, given the infancy of our technology.”
Kramer explains that she is not yet considering taking her research to market and states: “This is a major distinction between industry and an academic research setting. Rather than focusing on commercialisation, we are interested in expanding what is possible and redefi ning the wearable and robotic realm of possibility.”
With that in mind, what’s next for Kramer and her team at Purdue? “We will continue to pursue manufacturing, material performance, and system-level control challenges as they pertain to soft, active systems,” she says. “In particular, we believe that fabrics will play a large role in the future of soft and wearable robots, and could be employed in applications such as active clothing, active joint braces or wearable interfaces. “By treating clothing as a fi eld of engineering, it can be transformed from passive equipment to active machinery, assisting its wearer by enhancing strength, improving stamina or preventing injury. As fabrics are already
Product pathway B
ringing the next generation of wearable electronics to market – particularly to the industrial
sector – is not an easy task. Harry Zervos says: “The road to commercialisation for industrial products can be more challenging than for consumer products, as it typically requires more investment towards a specifi c application for a specifi c customer. However, the investment is justifi ed if the product can provide an overall positive impact to profi ts.” He also acknowledges another – not insignifi cant – challenge to overcome when getting products to market. “Many people have identifi ed excellent solutions
to specifi c problems, but often fail to consider the entire practical and social implication of their products. Products that tick all of the technical and fi nancial boxes will still fail if the human side is not carefully considered throughout product development. We have spoken to many primary product designers who have recognised this problem, and are actively making sacrifi ces in performance and price to improve design, comfort, practicality and usability. These are qualities that it can be very diffi cult to put a number to, so the best products will result from a compromise between the engineers and designers.” ●
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heavily integrated into our daily lives, robotic fabrics will be natural for people to wear and interact with, both minimising discomfort and maximising effi ciency. In the short-term, our proposed work will enable wearable, dynamic fabrics that promote health and mitigate injury, without hindering mobility.
lthough Kramer’s wearable concepts are some way away from mass production, she is contemplating how to make them synergistic with existing textile manufacturing methods. For instance, she uses a sewing machine to integrate shape memory alloy wire into fabrics.
A
“We also envision future extensions of this work approaching fabrics that are responsive to external stimuli, fabrics that can self-deploy protective armour, fabrics that incorporate wearable interfaces and electronics such as communication devices, wire harnesses and conformable antennas, and assistive fabrics for motion aid and prolonged endurance.” ●
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