In this section
Our research centres around the body and how technology can be used to improve how that body exists and interacts with the surrounding environment. We focus on haptic and aural modalities, using textiles as the physical medium for building wearable computational systems. Some of the research projects we undertake focus exclusively on textile sensing and interfaces whilst other focus solely on how auditory displays can be improved for users. A growing area of our work is looking towards how these two complementary technologies can be brought together in novel applications.
Below is a selection of projects grouped by theme of work:
Utilising novel textiles or electronic integrations to track and measure different forms of motion directly through fabric interventions.
Investigating next-generation haptic outputs embedded within textiles, with the unique ability to provide localised bodily sensations and tactile effects currently unavailable from other technologies.
Utilising novel textiles or electronic integrations to track and measure different forms of motion directly through fabric interventions.
Utilising novel textiles or electronic integrations to track and measure different forms of motion directly through fabric interventions.
The most developed strand of research in the group is tracking human motion through textile sensors. SensiKnit was developed by Dr Yi (Joy) Zhou during her PhD. SensiKnit is a graphene-based wearable monitoring system. The ergonomic sensors, crafted with digital knitting and laser-cutting, ensure close skin contact for accurate data collection and allow a full range of motion for user comfort. Integrated into wearables, SensiKnit can monitor body movements, such as knee bends and arm gestures, making it ideal for exercise interfaces and injury rehabilitation. Resistant to UV rays and washing, it offers consistent, real-time activity feedback under any condition.
This work has been published in Advanced intelligent Systems (Zhou, Y., Sun, Y., Li, Y., Shen, C., Lou, Z., Min, X. and Stewart, R. (2024), A Highly Durable and UV-Resistant Graphene-Based Knitted Textile Sensing Sleeve for Human Joint Angle Monitoring and Gesture Differentiation. Adv. Intell. Syst. 2400124. https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202400124).
The video was filmed and produced by Xiannuo Phoenix Zhao (Xcellent Productions Ltd).
@inproceedings{Wang:2024:10.1145/3656156.3663700,
author = {Wang, M and Zhou, Y and Stewart, R},
doi = {10.1145/3656156.3663700},
pages = {234--238},
publisher = {ACM},
title = {Soft wearable robotics: innovative knitting-integrated approaches for pneumatic actuators design},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3656156.3663700},
year = {2024}
}
TY - CPAPER
AB - Soft wearable robotics presents an opportunity to bridge robotics and textiles, offering lightweight, flexible, and ergonomic solutions for human-robot interaction, but previous studies on wearable soft robotics primarily focus on actuator performance without also considering wearability and interactivity. A rudimentary attachment method is usually adopted using external fixation devices such as straps to attach actuators to the user’s body, resulting in a poor wearing experience. This study focus on compatible and compact textile architectures to support actuators to be seamlessly integrated into daily wearing. It presents a research-through-design method to propose innovative knitting-integrated approaches for pneumatic actuator design to provide soft wearable robots with both aesthetic and functional values. Through a series of tests in which various knitting techniques and parameters are used to create sleeves that house silicone actuators, it explores design possibilities and understands the complex relationships between textiles and actuators. The findings contribute to advancing soft wearable robotics by offering practical solutions for integrating pneumatic actuators seamlessly into wearable textiles, thereby unlocking new possibilities for human-centered robotic systems.
AU - Wang,M
AU - Zhou,Y
AU - Stewart,R
DO - 10.1145/3656156.3663700
EP - 238
PB - ACM
PY - 2024///
SP - 234
TI - Soft wearable robotics: innovative knitting-integrated approaches for pneumatic actuators design
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3656156.3663700
ER -