The integration of functionalized fabrics within smart textiles enables the monitoring of a range of physiological parameters, including electrocardiogram (ECG), respiration, temperature, and moisture.
Textile pressure sensors represent a recent field area of development within the field of wearable technology and smart textiles.
These sensors are integrated into fabrics, thereby enabling the detection of pressure changes through touch or body movement, thus providing a seamless interface between the user and the digital world.
Textile pressure sensors are primarily developed using conductive fibers or yarns, which are woven into or coated upon fabrics.
The underlying electric principles are as follows: 1) the use of materials whose electrical resistance changes under pressure, or 2) the modification of the sensor geometry which results in a change in electrical capacitance.
The aforementioned materials comprise conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes, and metallic nanoparticles in a deposited ink. The integration of these materials into textiles can be achieved through a variety of techniques.
As the technology matures, the status of intellectual property (IP) rights assumes greater importance for stakeholders seeking to define an exploitation strategy for their innovations.
The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis and benchmarking of the intellectual property rights (IPR) scenario for textile pressure sensors. Indeed, as the field progresses, it will be necessary to implement ongoing adaptations to IP strategies and legal frameworks in order to effectively address the emerging challenges and opportunities.
A number of patent databases have been employed in order to evaluate the patent landscape pertaining to textile pressure sensors. This has involved the utilization of a combination of keywords and classification codes.
A preliminary examination of the data yielded from Espacenet (across a total of 185 patent documents) indicates a greater prevalence of patents pertaining to capacitive sensors in comparison to those related to piezoresistive sensors.
