# US 8,784,342 B2 · Shape sensing clothes to inform the wearer of a condition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,342 B2 - Document ID: US8784342B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/660,517 - Filed: 2010-02-26 - Published: 2010-11-04 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-30 - Assignees: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC - Applicants: Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Lowell L. Wood, Jr.; Victoria Y. H. Wood - Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde; Muriel Y. Ishikawa; Jordin T. Kare; Lowell L. Wood, Jr.; Victoria Y. H. Wood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784342B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/103: Measuring devices for testing the shape, pattern, {colour,} size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes (measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04) - A61B 5/4528: {Joints (A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence)} - A61B 5/6804: {Garments; Clothes} - A61B 5/11: Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A garment may be configured with one or more sensors and circuitry to communicate information related to a physiological condition to the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including: a first fabric; a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is arranged to detect a change in electrical impedance in response to the detected first shape-related parameter; and one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal; and circuitry responsive to the first signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to a third signal, different from the first signal, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to produce the second signal in response to the third signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a physiological sensor arranged to sense a physiological parameter of the user, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to produce the third signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first region of the first fabric, and wherein a second set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second region of the first fabric, different from the first region of first fabric, and wherein the one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to stored information to determine the first shape of the first fabric. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors are configured to provide one or more corresponding measurements, the one or more corresponding measurements being associated with one or more corresponding regions of the first fabric. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reference shape corresponds to a previously determined shape of the first fabric. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shape-related parameter includes at least one of a force, a stress, a pressure, a strain, a bend, a twist, a deformation, a geometry, a surface topology, an orientation, a reflection, or a position of one or more portions of the first garment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first fabric includes at least one of metal, polyester, Tyvek®, nylon, spandex, rayon, cotton, wool, leather, linen, soy, bamboo, rubber, down, silk, or paper. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an electromagnetic signal, an ultrasonic signal, or an acoustic signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce the first signal, the first signal being indicative of a magnitude of at least one of a detected force, a detected stress, a detected strain, or a detected deformation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power source operably connected to provide power to at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce the first signal, the first signal being indicative of a direction of at least one of a detected force, a detected stress, a detected strain, or a detected deformation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reference shape of the first fabric substantially corresponds to a target shape of the first fabric. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shape of the first fabric corresponds to a first time, the reference shape of the first fabric corresponds to a second time different from the first time, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the second time. ### Claim 17 An apparatus comprising: a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including: a first fabric; a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal; and one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal; circuitry responsive to the first signal and a third signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user; and wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the physiological condition includes at least one of posture, shape, arthritis, depression, weight, volume, area, dimension, or gait. ### Claim 19 An apparatus comprising: a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including: a first fabric; a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is arranged to detect a change in mechanical impedance in response to the detected first shape-related parameter; and one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal; and circuitry responsive to the first signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to a third signal, different from the first signal, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to produce the second signal in response to the third signal. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a physiological sensor arranged to sense a physiological parameter of the user, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to produce the third signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first region of the first fabric, and wherein a second set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second region of the first fabric, different from the first region of first fabric, and wherein the one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to stored information to determine the first shape of the first fabric. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors are configured to provide one or more corresponding measurements, the one or more corresponding measurements being associated with one or more corresponding regions of the first fabric.