Abstract: A textile product, and methods of using or manufacturing the same, has an electrical skin contact element completely or partially arranged on the inside of the product and at least one extensible conductive textile element mounted on the outside of the product in electrical communication with the skin contact element. In one embodiment, the skin contact element comprises an extensible electrode having an extensible plastic material comprising conductive particles or graphene and is adhered to or printed on the textile product in a region surrounding an opening in the textile product, and is connected to the conductive element adjacent the opening. In another embodiment, the textile product has a conductive region comprising an embedded conductive polymer material, the conductive element is connected to the conductive polymer material on the outside of the conductive region, and the electrical skin contact element completely or partially penetrates the fabric of the textile product.

Abstract: A conformable impedance sensing system includes at least two sensors, each having a different sensing behavior and each formed of stretchable, conformable materials. A pressure sensitive impedance (PSI) sensor and a stretch sensitive impedance (SSI) sensor are collectively disposed and both connected to a reference electrode and to readout electronics configured to read impedance signals from the sensors to reduce externally induced signal shifts and cross sensitivity effects. A sensor assembly includes a pressure sensor having a pressure circuit with a sensing impedance sensitive to external pressure and sensitive to another external influence and a reference circuit having a reference impedance insensitive to external pressure but sensitive to the other external influence. A cumulative signal dependent on the external pressure but independent from the other external influence is derived based upon a comparison of the sensing impedance and the reference impedance.

Abstract: A heating system, such as embedded in a fabric object, such as a wearable garment, comprising at least one heating element comprising an electrical resistance heating loop, the heating element comprising at least one sense wire for detecting and providing a signal indicative of a safety condition, and a controller connected to the at least one heating element and to the sense wire and configured to shut down the heating element in response to the signal indicative of the safety condition. Multiple, independently controllable heating elements in a garment may be connected to a harness and one or more integral battery packs with a power management system to permit hot swapping of the battery packs. The garment may be configured to be communicatively paired to a mobile device to provide hands free phone, music streaming, and/or a user interface for the heating system.

Abstract: A textile product, and methods of using or manufacturing the same, has an electrical skin contact element completely or partially arranged on the inside of the product and at least one extensible conductive textile element mounted on the outside of the product in electrical communication with the skin contact element. In one embodiment, the skin contact element comprises an extensible electrode having an extensible plastic material comprising conductive particles or graphene and is adhered to or printed on the textile product in a region surrounding an opening in the textile product, and is connected to the conductive element adjacent the opening. In another embodiment, the textile product has a conductive region comprising an embedded conductive polymer material, the conductive element is connected to the conductive polymer material on the outside of the conductive region, and the electrical skin contact element completely or partially penetrates the fabric of the textile product.

Abstract: A heating system, such as embedded in a fabric object, such as a wearable garment, comprising at least one heating element comprising an electrical resistance heating loop, the heating element comprising at least one sense wire for detecting and providing a signal indicative of a safety condition, and a controller connected to the at least one heating element and to the sense wire and configured to shut down the heating element in response to the signal indicative of the safety condition. Multiple, independently controllable heating elements in a garment may be connected to a harness and one or more integral battery packs with a power management system to permit hot swapping of the battery packs. The garment may be configured to be communicatively paired to a mobile device to provide hands free phone, music streaming, and/or a user interface for the heating system.