Ahmedabad: Technology that was once science fiction has become reality.
A shoe can alert the wearer that he is prone to falling, or a watch tells its wearer that his blood pressure is increasing, and they should stop exercising to avoid the risk of a heart attack, or that a smart vest user is sweating too much and should consider hydrating. These applications are made possible by sensors that monitor various vital signs.
A joint team from IIT Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) and the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NIT-R), has developed elastic, cost-effective and wearable sensors of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flakes and silicone sealant.
The team, consisting of Ravi Prakash Verma, Prateekshya Sahu, and Biswajit Saha, among others, published two articles recently.
Professor Saha, who heads the Smart Materials Laboratory (SML) at IIT-Gn, said that many sensors today use gyroscopic technology.
“In comparison, the technology developed by us works with parameters such as pressure. If applied to shoes, it works with body pressure to count steps or physical activity. If it’s on a chest belt, it can measure heart rate or blood pressure. In tests carried out by us, both apps were tested successfully. This may lead to a new class of sensors that are flexible and can be applied to various surfaces,” he said.
On the possible applications, the researchers said that if an elderly person living alone shows unusual vital signs or lack of physical activity for a long time, an alert can be sent to designated numbers. They can also monitor the performance of athletes through the shoes, they added.
