Search Results (128)

MXenes, a class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, emerged as a promising material for next-generation energy storage and corresponding applications due to their unique combination of high electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry, and lamellar structure. This review highlights recent advances in MXene-based composites, focusing on their integration into electrode architectures for the development of supercapacitors, batteries, and multifunctional devices, including triboelectric nanogenerators. It serves as a comprehensive overview of the multifunctional capabilities of MXene-based composites and their role in advancing efficient, flexible, and sustainable energy and sensing technologies, outlining how MXene-based systems are poised to redefine multifunctional energy platforms. Electrochemical performance optimization strategies are discussed by considering surface functionalization, interlayer engineering, scalable synthesis techniques, and integration with advanced electrolytes, with particular attention paid to the development of hybrid supercapacitors, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), and wearable sensors. These applications are favored due to improved charge storage capability, mechanical properties, and the multifunctionality of MXenes. Despite these aspects, challenges related to long-term stability, sustainable large-scale production, and environmental degradation must still be addressed. Emerging approaches such as three-dimensional self-assembly and artificial intelligence-assisted design are identified as key challenges for overcoming these issues. Full article

Design and use of wearable technology have grown exponentially, particularly in consumer products and service sectors, e.g., healthcare. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of wearable technology in consumer acceptance. This systematic review utilized a PRISMA on peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2024 and collected on WoS, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. A total of 38 full-text articles were systematically reviewed and analyzed using bibliometric, thematic, and descriptive analysis to understand the technical functions of digital wearable products (DWPs) in consumer acceptance. The findings revealed four key functions: (i) wearable technology, (ii) appearance and design, (iii) biomimetic innovation, and (iv) security and privacy, found in eight types of DWPs, among them smartwatches, medical robotics, fitness devices, and wearable fashions, significantly predicted the customers’ acceptance moderated by the behavioral factors. The review also identified five key outcomes: health and fitness, enjoyment, social value, biomimicry, and market growth. The review proposed a comprehensive acceptance model that combines biomimetic principles and AI-driven features into the technical functions of the technical function model (TAM) while addressing security and privacy concerns. This approach contributes to the extended definition of TAM in wearable technology, offering new pathways for biomimetic research in smart devices and robotics. Full article

This study investigates a lithium-ion battery failure in heating insoles that ignited during normal walking while powered off. Through comprehensive material characterization, electrical testing, thermal analysis, and mechanical gait simulation, we systematically excluded electrical or thermal abuse as failure causes. X-ray/CT imaging localized the ignition source to the lateral heel edge of the pouch cell, correlating precisely with peak mechanical stress identified through gait analysis. Remarkably, the cyclic load was less than 10% of the single crush load threshold specified in safety standards. Key findings reveal multiple contributing factors as follows: the uncoated polyethylene separator’s inability to prevent stress-induced internal short circuits, the circuit design’s lack of battery health monitoring functionality that permitted undetected degradation, and the hazardous placement inside clothing that exacerbated burn injuries. These findings necessitate a multi-level safety framework for lithium-ion battery products, encompassing enhanced cell design to prevent internal short circuit, improved circuit protection with health monitoring capabilities, optimized product integration to mitigate mechanical and environmental impact, and effective post-failure containment measures. This case study exposes a critical need for product-specific safety standards that address the unique demands of wearable lithium-ion batteries, where existing certification requirements fail to prevent real-use failure scenarios. Full article

Paper-based electronics have emerged as a sustainable, low-cost, and flexible alternative to traditional substrates for electronics, particularly for disposable and wearable applications. This review outlines recent developments in paper-based devices, focusing on sensors and paper-based field-effect transistors (PFETs). Key fabrication techniques such as laser-induced graphene, inkjet printing, and screen printing have enabled the creation of highly sensitive and selective devices on various paper substrates. Material innovations, especially the integration of graphene, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers, and other novel micro- and nano-enabled materials, have significantly enhanced device performance. This review discusses modern applications of paper-based electronics, with a particular emphasis on biosensors, electrochemical and physical sensors, and PFETs designed for flexibility, low power, and high sensitivity. Advances in PFET architectures have further enabled the development of logic gates and memory systems on paper, highlighting the potential for fully integrated circuits. Despite challenges in durability and performance consistency, the field is rapidly evolving, driven by the demand for green electronics and the need for decentralized, point-of-care diagnostic tools. This paper also identifies detection strategies used in paper-based sensors, reviews limitations in the current fabrication methods, and outlines opportunities for the scalable production of multifunctional paper-based systems. This review addresses a critical gap in the literature by linking device-level innovation with real-world sensor applications on paper substrates. Full article

Industrial workers often engage in repetitive lifting tasks. This type of continual loading on their arms throughout the workday can lead to muscle or tendon injuries. A non-intrusive system designed to assist a worker’s arms would help alleviate strain on their muscles, thereby preventing injury and minimizing productivity losses. The goal of this project is to develop a wearable soft robotic arm enhancement device that supports a worker’s muscles by sharing the load during lifting tasks, thereby increasing their lifting capacity, reducing fatigue, and improving their endurance to help prevent injury. The device should be easy to use and wear, functioning in relative harmony with the user’s own muscles. It should not restrict the user’s range of motion or flexibility. The human arm consists of numerous muscles that work together to enable its movement. However, as a proof of concept, this project focuses on developing a prototype to enhance the biceps brachii muscle, the primary muscle involved in pulling movements during lifting. Key components of the prototype include a soft robotic muscle or actuator analogous to the biceps, a control system for the pneumatic muscle actuator, and a method for securing the soft muscle to the user’s arm. The McKibben-inspired pneumatic muscle was chosen as the soft actuator for the prototype. A hybrid control algorithm, incorporating PID and model-based control methods, was developed. Electromyography (EMG) and pressure sensors were utilized as inputs for the control algorithms. This paper discusses the design strategies for the device and the preliminary results of the feasibility testing. Based on the results, a wearable EMG-controlled soft robotic arm augmentation could effectively enhance the endurance of industrial workers engaged in repetitive lifting tasks. Full article

The advent of the Internet of Things has boosted portable and wearable miniature electronics, especially micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) with excellent integrated performance as well as high-power density and a long lifetime. However, the rational design of electrode material formulations and the construction of three-dimensional (3D) structured electrodes with scalable and cost-effective fabrication remains an arduous task for improving the energy density of MSCs to meet all industrial sector requirements, such as the mass-production of microscale structures, a lasting power supply, and safety. To address these challenges, combining the respective capacitance merits of MXenes and polyaniline (PANI), we propose a constructing strategy for the preparation of a 3D MXene@PANI hierarchical architecture consisting of one-dimensional (1D) PANI nanofibers grown on two-dimensional (2D) Ti₃C₂ MXene nanosheets via extrusion-based 3D printing. Such a 3D architecture not only achieves a high loading mass of MSC electrodes prior to conventional planar MSCs for abundant active site exposure, but it also overcomes the restacking of MXene nanosheets accounting for sluggish ionic kinetics. These features enable the resulting MSCs to deliver excellent electrochemical properties, including a high volumetric capacitance of 1638.3 mF/cm³ and volumetric energy density of 328.2 mWh/cm³. This power supply ability is further demonstrated by lighting up a blue bulb or powering an electronic thermometer. This study provides a promising design strategy of the architecture of MXene@PANI composites for high-performance MSCs with 3D printing technology. Full article

AI technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent in industrial workplaces, extending their applications beyond productivity to critical areas such as occupational safety. From our perspective, it is important to consider the safety of these AI systems for users already at the research and development stage, rather than only after deployment. Therefore, in this review, we synthesize publications that propose such AI-based safety systems to assess how potential risks are addressed early in their design and prototype stages. Consequently, we explore current advancements in AI-driven, sensor-based, and human-centered applications designed to enhance occupational safety by monitoring compliance, detecting hazards in real time, or assisting users. These systems leverage wearables and environmental sensing to proactively identify risks, support decision-making, and contribute to creating safer work environments. In this paper, we categorize the technologies according to the sensors used and highlight which features are preventive, reactive, or post-incident. Furthermore, we address potential risks posed by these AI applications, as they may introduce new hazards for workers. Through a critical review of current research and existing regulations, we identify gaps and propose key considerations for the safe and ethical deployment of trustworthy AI systems. Our findings suggest that in AI- and sensor-based research applications for occupational safety, some features and risks are considered notably less than others, from which we deduce that, while AI is being increasingly utilized to improve occupational safety, there is a significant need to address regulatory and ethical challenges for its widespread and safe adoption in industrial domains. Full article

The integration of machine learning (ML) has begun to reshape the development of advanced polymeric materials used in technical textiles. Polymeric materials, with their versatile properties, are central to the performance of technical textiles across industries such as healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and construction. By utilizing ML and AI, researchers are now able to design and optimize polymers for specific applications more efficiently, predict their behavior under extreme conditions, and develop smart, responsive textiles that enhance functionality. This review highlights the transformative potential of ML in polymer-based textiles, enabling advancements in waste sorting (with classification accuracy of up to 100% for pure fibers), material design (predicting stiffness properties within 10% error), defect prediction (enabling proactive interventions in fabric production), and smart wearable systems (achieving response times as low as 192 ms for physiological monitoring). The integration of AI technologies drives sustainable innovation and enhances the functionality of textile products. Through case studies and examples, this review provides guidance for future research in the development of polymer-based technical textiles using AI and ML technologies. Full article

The accelerating population aging and increasing demand for higher work efficiency have made the research and the application of lower-limb assistive exoskeletons a primary focus in recent years. This paper reviews the research progress of lower-limb squat assistive wearable devices, with a focus on classification methods, research outcomes, and products from both domestic and international markets. It also analyzes the key technologies involved in their development, such as mechanical mechanisms, control strategies, motion sensing, and effectiveness validation. From an industrial design perspective, the paper also explores the future prospects of lower-limb squat assistive wearable devices in four key areas: multi-signal sensing, intelligent control, human–machine collaboration, and experimental validation. Finally, the paper discusses future development trends in this field. Full article

The lack of social acceptability for wearable devices such as orthopedic foot orthoses can lead to irregular usage and missed health benefits, as shown in prior studies. While AI-generated designs have been explored for prototyping aesthetic hand orthoses, their impact on social acceptability, particularly for foot orthoses, remains unknown. The current state of research is limited, as no empirical evidence exists on whether AI-designed orthoses influence acceptance, nor has the role of customized generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) and specific prompting strategies been examined in this context. To address these gaps, we conducted two mixed-methods studies to investigate (1) the impact of AI-generated orthosis designs on social acceptability compared to existing orthopedic products and development concepts and (2) how a customized GPT and different prompt keywords influence acceptance. Our results show that AI-generated designs significantly enhance social acceptance across orthotic categories. Furthermore, we found that personalized GPTs and targeted prompt keywords significantly influence user perception. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of using AI to create socially acceptable design solutions for wearable technology and offer new applications for future smart devices. We contribute to generative AI in product design and provide concrete recommendations for optimizing prompting strategies to enhance social acceptance. Full article

Drowsiness and stress greatly influence worker health and productivity and workplace safety. Conflict between workplace expectations and employee control results in stress, which causes mental and physical reactions that affect performance and raise the risk of accidents at work. A common precursor to inadvertent drowsiness increases workplace risks and costs due to lost productivity and accidents. Developments in the interdisciplinary subject of neuroergonomics enable the creation of novel systems to track and minimize these issues. This work introduces prototype testing to demonstrate the system’s ability to detect stress and drowsiness. Along with other indicators such as body temperature, heart rate (HR), and SpO₂ levels, the system incorporates electroencephalography (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV). By analyzing these biosignals, the system detects stress and drowsiness in real time, providing alerts to both users and the supervisor’s BI dashboard. The design is flexible, offering two wearable forms: a headband and an armband. Prototype testing demonstrates the system’s ability to detect stress and drowsiness effectively, paving the way for safer and more productive workplace environments. Full article

Energy storage polymers are critical to modern microelectronics, electric vehicles, and wearable devices. Capacitor energy storage devices are the focus of contemporary research, with film dielectric capacitors being the focus of mainstream research. Research on polymers—particularly polypropylene—has yielded numerous innovations, but their energy storage performance and breakdown resistance under extreme conditions remain unsatisfactory. Numerous reports have proposed various solutions, but systematic reviews, classifications, and investigations regarding the effects of processing on polypropylene films remain lacking. This study collects and organizes the latest research reports on dielectric-related polypropylene films with the aim of addressing this issue by providing a comprehensive review of the research on polypropylene thin film materials that exhibit high dielectric stability and high energy storage density under extreme conditions. These conditions include mixing and doping, surface modification, designing new molecular structures, and constructing multilayers. This study analyzes how polypropylene’s dielectric properties can be enhanced. It reviews the impacts of processing on the dielectric properties of biaxially oriented polypropylene and the underlying mechanisms. The paper is concluded with a summary of the current research progress and shortcomings in industrial production and performance, as well as discussions of future prospects. It offers valuable references for enhancing the dielectric properties of biaxially oriented polypropylene films and optimizing film processing. Full article

Skin is the largest organ of the human body and holds the functions of sensing, protecting, and regulating. Since ancient times, people have decorated their skin by painting themselves, cutting, and using accessories to express their personality and aesthetic consciousness as a kind of artistic expression, one that shows the development and change of aesthetic consciousness. However, there are concerns regarding the inconvenience, high time cost, and negative body perception with traditional tattoos. In addition, the trend of skin decoration has gradually withdrawn due to a lack of intelligent interaction. In response to these problems, we proposed a wearable electronic skin tattoo that offers a novel means of communication and emotional expression for individuals with communication impairments, WABEIT. The tattoo uses skin-friendly PDMS as the base material, combines multi-mode sensing components such as silver wire circuit, a programmable Surface-Mounted Device (SMD), a thin-film-pressure sensor, and a heart rate sensor, and combines the embedded development board Arduino Nano for intelligent interaction, forming a wearable electronic interactive tattoo capable of sensing the environment, human–computer interaction, and the changeable performance of intelligent perception. The sensor is also equipped with a mobile power supply to support portability. The advantages of WABEIT are as follows: first, it avoids the pain, allergy, and long production process of traditional tattoos. Second, the patterns can adapt to different needs and generate feedback for users, which can effectively express personal emotions. Thirdly, the facility of removal reduces social discrimination and occupational constraints, which is especially suitable for East Asia. Experimental results indicate that the device exhibits a high sensitivity in signal response, a wide variety of pattern changes, and reliable interactive capabilities. The study demonstrates that the proposed design philosophy and implementation strategy can be generalized to the interactive design of other wearable devices, thereby providing novel insights and methodologies for human–computer interaction, electronic devices, and sensor applications. Full article

The rapid advancement of wearable electronics has catalyzed the development of flexible, lightweight, and highly conductive materials. Among these, conductive hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates due to their tissue-like properties, which can minimize the mechanical mismatch between flexible devices and biological tissues and excellent electrical conductivity, stretchability and biocompatibility. However, the environmental impact of synthetic components and production processes in conventional conductive hydrogels poses significant challenges to their sustainable application. This review explores recent advances in eco-friendly conductive hydrogels used in healthcare, focusing on their design, fabrication, and applications in green wearable electronics. Emphasis is placed on the use of natural polymers, bio-based crosslinkers, and green synthesis methods to improve sustainability while maintaining high performance. We discuss the incorporation of conductive polymers and carbon-based nanomaterials into environmentally benign matrices. Additionally, the article highlights strategies for improving the biodegradability, recyclability, and energy efficiency of these materials. By addressing current limitations and future opportunities, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of environmentally friendly conductive hydrogels as a basis for the next generation of sustainable wearable technologies. Full article

The integration of flexible electronics into textiles and smart products has revolutionized industries, enabling innovations such as wearable health monitors, interactive clothing, and energy-harvesting fabrics. However, the rapid growth of these technologies poses significant challenges for sustainability and circularity. This paper explores the concept of circular economy in the context of smart textiles and products containing flexible electronics. It highlights the technical, environmental, and economic challenges associated with their end-of-life management and proposes strategies to enhance circularity, including design for disassembly, advanced recycling technologies, and policy frameworks. The paper concludes with a discussion of future research directions to achieve a sustainable lifecycle for these advanced materials. Full article