Wearable Wellness System

Smartex Wearable Wellness System Smartex s.r.l. Bra, shirt Cardiac data, respiratory, body posture and movement (accelerometers), estimation of energy expenditure, steps/min Electronic device contains accelerometers and is inserted into a front pocket at chest (Smartex s.r.l., 2014h)... 

Smartex s.r.l., 2014b. http //www.smartex.it/index.php/en/products/wearable-wellness-system (accessed 8.05.14.). 

Beyond just being comfortable, wearable sensors must also not create a situation where optimum performance is compromised, particularly in competitive sports. Discomfort itself will naturally lead to less than optimum performance, so the points mentioned in the previous sections are valid here as well. However, in every sport, there could be other factors that need to be considered that do not necessarily lead to discomfort, but can affect performance. For example, a small wearable sensor system can affect drag in sports where it could matter (e.g., swimming) and therefore affect speed without necessarily feeling uncomfortable to wear, obtrusive or heavy. 

A well-known adverse effect in body-centric communications is caused by fading and shadowing of a signal received by a moving subject equipped with a wearable antenna system. These phenomena are a consequence of multipath propagation and have a negative effect on power consumption. In parficular, these random fluctuations on the received signal produce an increase of the bit error rate (BER). 

Researchers at Oregon State University have demonstrated the advantages of microchannel architecture in improving the hemodialysis process. Using microchannel architectare, they were able to show 70-80% reductions in the necessary transfer area relative to commercial hollow fiber systems for the clearance of creatinin (Fig. 7.23) and urea (Fig. 7.24) from a simulated blood stream [285]. The microchannel advantage, as has been seen in other applications, comes in the form of well-defined and narrow channels that facilitate rapid mass transfer into and out of the fluid media. This approach is expected to change the current paradigm in hemodialysis from clinical treatment to at-home use, and may allow for the creation of a wearable hemodialyzer [286]. 

There is no doubt that wearable technologies have much to offer to the medical sector, such as continuity of care from early detection through to home therapeutic and rehabilitation aids. They have the potential to introduce more personalised care and to encourage people to take a more active role in their health and well-being. It is hoped that this will help to reduce the demand on future health care systems and result in more efficient care. In order for this technology to become widely accepted, there are a number of challenges that must be overcome. 

For wearable systems, including textile antennas, power efficiency represents a crucial matter, especially for the so-called autonomous systems, where the necessary power for the system operation is ideally obtained entirely by means of energy harvesting [16] from the surrounding environment, and no additional power supply is needed. Even in the case of wearable systems equipped with wearable battery units, it is very important to keep power consumption as low as possible. To this aim, several techniques were recently envisaged, by means of innovative textile antennas, such as active antennas as well as the use of multiantenna-processing techniques, such as diversity with multiple wearable antennas. 

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