Bifunctional Smart Textiles with Simultaneous Motion Monitoring and Thermotherapy for Human Joint Injuries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Accurate joint motion monitoring and thermotherapy are crucial for diagnosing and rehabilitating joint injuries.
• Current technologies face challenges in simultaneously achieving precise joint motion tracking and on-demand thermotherapy.
• Developing integrated smart textiles is essential for advancing healthcare solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and fabricate novel core-sheath sensing yarns (CSSYs) for bifunctional smart textiles.
• To evaluate the electrical, photothermal heating, and sensing performance of the developed CSSYs.
• To demonstrate the potential of these smart textiles for simultaneous joint motion monitoring and thermotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of core-sheath sensing yarns (CSSYs) using carbon black-coated nylon (sheath) and silver-plated nylon/spandex (core).
• Characterization of CSSYs for joule heating performance (up to 75°C at 2V) and thermal management.
• Optimization of double-ply CSSYs (DPCSSYs) with helical twisting for enhanced sensing capabilities (sensitivity, linearity, durability).
• Weaving CSSYs into a bifunctional smart textile for integrated healthcare applications.

Main Results:

• CSSYs exhibited excellent joule heating performance and thermal stability.
• Optimized DPCSSYs demonstrated superior strain sensitivity (0.854), linearity (0.962), and durability (>5000 cycles).
• The woven bifunctional smart textile successfully integrated motion monitoring and thermotherapy functionalities.

Conclusions:

• The developed core-sheath sensing yarns offer a promising platform for advanced smart textiles.
• Bifunctional smart textiles integrating motion sensing and thermotherapy can significantly aid in joint injury management.
• This technology represents a potential pathway for next-generation healthcare smart textiles.