Smart tissue detects muscle movement and vascular contraction
Researchers have developed a self-powered smart tissue that can sense and measure body movements, from the flexion of muscles to the pulsation of veins.Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles, used nanomagnets to create a sensitive coating that mimics tissue. It uses a self-contained power system, is elastic, durable and waterproof. The technology can be used in medicine to assess muscle damage and monitor rehabilitation.
The smart fabric is created from rubber threads filled with nanomagnets. Using an ordinary sewing machine, the researchers sewed a conductive, silver-coated thread to a coil-shaped patch. Any mechanical action deforms the structure of the magnets inside the rubber coating, creating a small electric current that flows through the threads.
The device converts muscle activity into quantifiable, high-precision electrical signals that are sent wirelessly to phone apps.
In a series of experiments, the researchers demonstrated that the device is not only sensitive to the slightest changes, but also extremely accurate: it allows you to detail movements down to an individual muscle group.
By attaching the device to different parts of the body, the researchers measured throat movements while drinking, ankle movements while walking, and even tracked a person's pulse at the wrist. By attaching it to a person's biceps, the device can show whether a person is flexing his arm or clenching his fist, and with how much force. Additional tests have shown that the device retains its effectiveness when exposed to moisture and after a large number of strain cycles.
The data collected with the textile will help physicians and physical therapists identify abnormalities in individual muscles, the developers believe. By identifying the muscles that are under- or over-activated, the process of rehabilitation after injuries can be corrected.