Full fabric sensing network with large deformation for continuous detection of skin temperature

Abstract

Electronic textiles, created by the incorporation of electronics into textile substrates, are indispensable components of large-area wearable applications. This paper presents a full fabric based temperature sensor network comprised of discrete fabric temperature sensors and an elastic fabric circuit board (FCB). The fabric temperature sensor is made by integrating a continuous metal fiber into a woven structure that has an enhanced sensitivity (0.0039 °C-1), high accuracy (error: ±0.2 °C), superior resolution (0.05 °C), short response time, as well as almost no hysteresis, which far exceeds metal-coated thin films and composite materials in terms of the combination of these properties. Due to the large deformation capability of the FCB, the packaged assembly could maintain electrical integrity with a maximum strain of 40%, and withstand a fatigue life of at least 10 000 cycles at 30% strain, suggesting great promise for next-to-skin electronics. To demonstrate its applicability, a smart garment integrating this assembly has been used for in situ detection of skin temperature during respiration.