Wearable Technology Is Sensing Technology

This post is sponsored by StretchSense. It reflects the views of the sponsor, not ReadWrite’s editors.

Smart wearables require sensors that are small and able to move with the human body without restricting natural movement. They need to be able to receive information, process it and relay it back to the wearer in a way that is meaningful and useful. 

The main challenge in creating sensors that can make these measurements lies in the nature of the body itself. The human body is a soft structure, and many of the objects that people interact with everyday—such as clothing, shoes, and furniture—are also soft. The human body is mobile; it can bend, stretch, twist, and be squashed, and there is a real need for sensors that can accurately measure complex body movements in an unobtrusive way.

StretchSense has solved this problem by developing wireless stretch, bend, pressure, and shear sensors that are made of soft materials. The basic StretchSense sensor is made of a soft material (such as fabric or silicone) connected to a Bluetooth circuit and a battery. 

As a wearer moves, the sensor stretches with the movement and transmits motion information to a Bluetooth enabled device. By providing realtime feedback on a wearer’s motion, posture, or technique, StretchSense sensors are becoming increasingly important in providing better healthcare, sports training and gaming experiences.

The opportunities afforded by smart, soft sensor technologies are limitless.

For more information, visit StretchSense on the Web or see our Expo Stage presentation at Wearable World Congress.

This post is sponsored by StretchSense. It reflects the views of the sponsor, not ReadWrite’s editors.