Fabrication of multifunctional wearable e-textile platform using multi-head 3D printing process

Abstract

In recent decades, attempts have continued to data various senses felt by the human body. Among these various senses, sensor studies for the tactile sense have been conducted in a way that applies soft electronics due to the ranges and types of tactile senses, and the fact that human skin has many curved parts. However, most existing studies involve materials that are unideal to detect touch and human posture, and there were thus many limitations to their application to the dynamic human body. In this thesis, in order to solve the aforementioned problems, a wearable tactile sensor was manufactured using textile(clothes) worn by mankind for a long time as a substrate. The weaving method using coating yarn, used in the study of most textile-touch sensors, has the disadvantages of complicated process and difficulty in customization. Therefore, in this thesis, strain sensors, electrodes, and temperature sensors made of organic materials were directly 3D-printed on the substrate of clothes and textile. Through this method, the process could be simplified and the waste of materials could be reduced, and it was possible to manufacture sensors in the forms desired by the user. In addition, physical deformation of the electrode could be maintained by utilizing the excellent elasticity of the textile without changing the excellent resistance value (0.2 Ω ~ 0.4 Ω) using polystyrene, a hard material that is fundamentally controlled. In addition, by optimizing the degree of permeation into the textile according to viscosity, electrodes printed on both sides could be connected or separated at a point desired by the user. It is expected that follow-up studies related to this study will be conducted by suggesting a method that can directly 3D print materials on the fabric and utilize both sides.