Textile piezoresistive sensors for biomechanical variables monitoring

In this paper is described the study leading to the implementation of two novel classes of textile piezoresistive sensors, for application in the field of post stroke rehabilitation and cardiovascular diseases monitoring. Two different approaches have been used, the first one leading to the realization of knitted transducer fabric to be integrated in bio-clothes for motion activity and respiration monitoring through plethysmography, the other one leading to printed sensing clothes for movement and posture detection. In particular, this work focuses on the optimization of sensors performances in term of sensing properties with the final objective to go towards a mass production.