A wearable sticker turns slight movements into communication
A team of researchers from multiple institutes in China has developed a wearable sticker sensor that can accurately convert tiny gestures and movements into useful communication. The technology is aimed at helping people with severe disability and speech impairments communicate with minimal effort.
Individuals born with severe disabilities or those who have recently undergone health conditions like stroke often face difficulties in carrying out basic movements. The inability to communicate their needs can hamper their care.
“Traditional methods are either too cumbersome, lacked accuracy, or weren’t versatile enough to cater to individual needs,” said Zhuo Wang from Beijing Normal University, one of the institutes involved in the research. The research team comprised members from other Chinese institutes, such as Sun Yat-sen University and Guilin University of Electronic Technology.
Delivering utility and comfort with the wearable sticker
The research was part of a larger project to develop innovative assistive technologies for people with disabilities. However, the team ensured that they focused on designing a device that helped communicate and was comfortable for everyday use.
To achieve this, the team used a soft and flexible material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is skin-friendly and flexible. The movement sensing capability comes from fiber Bragg grating (FBG), an optical component.
According to Chuanxin Teng, a team member from Guilin University of Electronic Technology, the real magic comes from the combination of the PDMS with FBGs. “We found that using a thicker PDMS patch caused a more pronounced wavelength shift. Leveraging this sensitivity-enhancing effect of PDMS allows these optical sensors to detect even the slightest bend of a finger or twist of a wrist.”
A reflector is etched into a short optical fiber segment in this wearable sticker. It reflects specific wavelengths while transmitting the rest. Based on how light propagates in the fiber optic, the sensor can pick up the slightest movements of the wearer. This could be movement of the wrist, fingers, or even facial movements.
Movement to communication
The researchers conducted extensive tests involving gesture recognition to demonstrate that the sensor can translate movement into effective communication. The device was tested after being calibrated for each participant. Various movements were recorded in areas such as the wrist and fingers. The system was trained to translate the gestures into commands by spelling out words using Morse code.
“For individuals with severe mobility or speech impairments, the sensors could translate gestures or facial expressions into words or commands, enabling them to communicate with others or interact with technology more easily,” added Kun Xiao, another researcher from Beijing Normal University, in a press release.
The sensors on the wearable sticker demonstrated high sensitivity and accuracy in recognizing and translating gestures. The researchers claim that the device even picked up subtle gestures that conventional assistive devices find hard to pick up.
“Beyond detecting movement, these adaptable sensors could be tailored for monitoring health indicators like respiratory or heart rate by detecting subtle body movements,” added Rui Min from Beijing Normal University. “They could also be useful for athletes or fitness enthusiasts to monitor and improve their form or technique in real time or be integrated into gaming systems for more immersive and interactive experiences.”
Source: Interesting Engineering
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A wearable sticker turns slight movements into communication