Smart Jewellery: The Future Of Health Monitoring

Alwis, Lourdes S.; Vones, Katharina

Abstract

The project has revolved around developing a responsive, wearable prototype object that creates playful interactions by sensing bodily and environmental stimuli, and expresses these through activating elements that consist of colour changing chromic smart materials and through light interactions facilitated by electronic sensing means. Embedded heartrate and temperature sensors provide instant biofeedback to users, who are encouraged to explore the prototype tactilely. The use of the newly developed material “Selvedge PLA”, offers novel textural sensations as well as utilising end-of-life waste byproducts of the textiles and leather industries in conjunction with PLA to create a fully compostable material. This increases the sustainability of the wearable byutilis ing bioplastics for creating structural components where previously oil based plastics may have been used. The smart jewellery thus designed is the first step towards addressing smart medical sensing in elderly and children with special needs, especially in a manner that is convenient and simple. The thus obtained data could be transmitted wirelessly to a smart device, such as a mobile phone, so that appropriate medical attention can be provided by the carers when necessary.

The project focuses on the design of Smart Jewellery that can be worn by children with disabilities to continuously monitor their heart rate and temperature. The design of the jewellery itself is inspired by nature, i.e. the jewellery looks like a sea creature typically seen in cartoons, and is fabricated using recycled material. The heart rate and temperature sensors are embedded in a manner that is not evident to the user, i.e. “disguised,” and the heart rate is made visible through the use of fibre optics which is embedded as part of the jewellery design. The data obtained from the sensors could then be transmitted wirelessly to a smart device, such as a mobile phone, so that appropriate action can be taken by the carer.

Citation

Alwis, L. S., & Vones, K. (2018, November). Smart Jewellery: The Future Of Health Monitoring. Paper presented at U!REKA: Urban Research and Education Knowledge Alliance 2018, Frankfurt, Germany

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: U!REKA: Urban Research and Education Knowledge Alliance 2018
• Start Date: Nov 26, 2018
• End Date: Nov 28, 2018
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2021
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2766701
• Publisher URL: https://www.amsterdamuas.com/binaries/content/assets/subsites/ureka-consortium/conference-frankfurt/workshop-2/vones_smart-jewellery.pdf?1551267340536