Preventive Wound Protection – Pressure Monitoring Stockings for Diabetics
Diabetes is one of the most widespread diseases and can lead to serious consequences. According to the German Health Report on Diabetes 2014 of the German Diabetes Association, statutory health insurance companies estimate that approx. 20 percent of their annual costs are spent on the treatment of diabetes. In the advanced stages of the disease, many diabetics no longer have feeling in their feet and, therefore, cannot register pressure or temperature signals. They do not notice it when there is too much pressure in certain areas of their feet. Even small uneven
spots or shoe pressure can cause open wounds or tissue damage, which can lead to chronic wounds, if noticed too late. As a result, many diabetes patients have to have their toes or feet amputated. A new type of pressure monitoring stockings can prevent this. A sensor system integrated into the stocking warns the person wearing it of pressure sores.
Smart phones evaluate signals
The sensors are made of a very elastic, soft silicon film. This makes them easy to integrate into textiles without disturbing the wearer. The film is coated with highly flexible electrodes on both sides. If the film is deformed by pressure or stretching, its density decreases and its surface simultaneously expands. The result: The electric capacity increases. The change in the capacity of the 40 sensors is transmitted by conductive and elastic threads to an electronic evaluation unit. The evaluated data is transmitted wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet, which shows the diabetes patient whether he/she should change his/her foot position or weight distribution. This way the patient can react quickly and protect himself/herself from dangerous pressure sores.
In order to guarantee washability, the project partners are now developing stockings from which the electronics can simply be removed like a Velcro fastener. However, commercial disinfectants already allow a hygienic treatment of the pressure monitoring stocking.
An additional area of application for sensors integrated into textiles is the area of fitness. Joggers, for example, would be able to check their running style and foot position when wearing the socks. It is also possible to manufacture gloves with sensors to equip robot grippers or prostheses. Further future developments make it possible to measure a person‘s posture in order for example, to prevent biomechanical stress due to prolonged sitting.
Ulinzi wa Majeraha ya Kuzuia <unk> Mfuatiliaji wa Shinikizo Stockings kwa wagonjwa wa kisukari Kisukari ni moja ya magonjwa yaliyoenea zaidi na inaweza kusababisha matokeo mabaya. Kulingana na ripoti ya afya ya Ujerumani ya kisukari ya mwaka 2014, kampuni za bima za afya za kisheria zinakadiria kuwa karibu asilimia 50 ya wagonjwa wa kisukari wana ugonjwa huo. Asilimia 20 ya gharama za kila mwaka zinatumiwa kwa ajili ya matibabu ya ugonjwa wa kisukari. Katika hatua za juu za ugonjwa huo, wagonjwa wengi wa kisukari hawawezi kuhisi miguu yao, na kwa hiyo hawawezi kutambua ishara za shinikizo au joto. Hawatambui wakati kuna shinikizo kubwa sana katika sehemu fulani za miguu yao. Hata madoa madogo yasiyo sawa au shinikizo la viatu linaweza kusababisha majeraha ya wazi au uharibifu wa tishu, ambayo inaweza kusababisha majeraha ya muda mrefu ikiwa itagunduliwa marehemu. Kwa sababu hiyo, wagonjwa wengi wa kisukari hulazimika kukatwa vidole vya miguu au miguu. Aina mpya ya soksi za kudhibiti shinikizo zaweza kuzuia jambo hilo. Mfumo wa sensorer uliounganishwa katika soksi hiyo humwonya mtu anayeivaa juu ya vidonda vya shinikizo. Simu mahiri kutathmini ishara sensorer ni kufanywa ya elastic sana, laini silicon filamu. Hii inafanya iwe rahisi kuunganisha katika nguo bila kusumbua mtumiaji. Filamu ni coated na electrodes highly flexible pande zote mbili. Ikiwa filamu hiyo imepotoshwa na shinikizo au kunyoosha, wiani wake hupungua na uso wake huongezeka wakati huohuo. Matokeo ni kwamba, uwezo wa umeme huongezeka. Mabadiliko katika uwezo wa sensorer 40 ni kupitishwa kwa conductive na elastic nyuzi kwa kitengo cha tathmini ya elektroniki. Takwimu zilizochunguzwa zinatumwa bila waya kwa simu mahiri au kibao, ambacho huonyesha mgonjwa wa kisukari ikiwa anapaswa kubadilisha nafasi ya mguu wake au usambazaji wa uzito. Kwa njia hii, mgonjwa anaweza kujibu haraka na kujilinda dhidi ya vidonda hatari vya shinikizo. Ili kuhakikisha kuweza kuoshwa, washirika wa mradi sasa wanaendeleza soksi ambazo vifaa vya elektroniki vinaweza kuondolewa kama kifungo cha Velcro. Hata hivyo, disinfectants kibiashara tayari kuruhusu matibabu ya usafi wa shinikizo kudhibiti stocking. Eneo la ziada la matumizi ya sensorer jumuishi katika nguo ni eneo la fitness. Kwa mfano, wanariadha wangeweza kuchunguza mtindo wao wa kukimbia na msimamo wa miguu wanapovaa soksi hizo. Pia inawezekana kutengeneza glavu zenye sensorer ili kuandaa viboko vya roboti au protesi. Maendeleo zaidi ya baadaye yanafanya iwezekane kupima msimamo wa mtu ili kwa mfano, kuzuia mkazo wa biomechanical kutokana na kukaa kwa muda mrefu.