Explorations of clothing-typed wearable platforms: satisfaction evaluations and displacement measurements

Purpose

An increasing aging population and an increasing number of people suffering from musculoskeletal disorders have increased the demand for wearable robots. Comfortable, wearable robots that can be worn like clothing are currently being investigated. However, the embedded components may be displaced owing to the flexibility of the fabrics, which can lower the sensing accuracy and limit natural body movements. This study aims to develop clothing-type wearable platforms to minimize the displacement of embedded components such as sensors and actuators while maintaining comfort.

Design/methodology/approach

Four designs were developed using materials with different seam lines, that can serve as anchoring details, and flatlock stitches considering body movements and musculoskeletal structures. The wear evaluation experiment was filmed using a speed camera and analyzed using the TimeViewer software and SPSS 26.0. Based on these results, four clothing-type wearable platform designs were developed.

Findings

The variation in the location of a point in the armhole among the designs was marginal. Participants were satisfied with the functionality, practicality, wearability, efficiency and ease of use of the developed designs. A final clothing-type wearable platform was developed by applying a design with the least change in location, a suitable design for each area and wear comfort.

Originality/value

The results of this study contribute to the development of wearable robots by establishing clothing design data to minimize changes in sensor and actuator movements.