The flexible tube-based triboelectric-electromagnetic sensor. Source: Unversity of Waterloo
University of Waterloo researchers have created a self-powered sensor that could one day enable doctors to check in on their patients remotely, even when the patient is at home.
The small, tube-like sensor measures 6 centimeters long and attaches to braces after joint surgery. The sensor wirelessly sends information like the range of movement and improvement in recovery and uses Wi-Fi to send the data.
"That data would be continuously collected, so it would be as though the physician or physiotherapist was always there, always observing the patient," said Hassan Askari, an engineering doctoral candidate at Waterloo.
The device doesn’t require batteries. When the user moves, the device gathers triboelectricity from the patient’s movements, like bending and twisting, to power it enough to send out the data. Because it would be difficult to replace the batteries in the sensor on a brace, this is a vital feature of the sensor.
The new device has uses beyond the medical field. The researchers said that the sensor could be used on autonomous vehicle tires to allow the car to detect and respond to ice development on winter roads.
"Based on the forces, the interaction between the road and the tires, we could actually detect ice or rain," said Askari. "That is extremely important information for autonomous driving."
The researchers are now focused on making the device smaller and more sensitive for even more uses beyond tires and medical.
A paper on the new sensor was published in the journal Sensors and Actuators A: Physical.
