Apparatus and method for sensing characterizing features of a deformable structure

An apparatus comprising:

• a deformable structure, wherein the deformable structure is configured to be worn over a body part;
• a plurality of sensors for monitoring deformation of the deformable structure and
• a plurality of processing circuits for generating a signal characterizing features of said deformation, based on the output of two or more of said sensors;
• wherein said processing circuits are distributed amongst said plurality of sensors,
• wherein said processing circuits are configured to transmit signals using one of pulse width modulation, pulse density modulation, pulse train frequency modulation, or spike code modulation,
• wherein at least some of said sensors comprise piezoelectric material,
• wherein said piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of nanowires,
• wherein at least some of said sensors comprise a material that changes its capacitance when stretched,
• wherein at least some of said sensors are configured to monitor localized charges generated in response to stretching along first and second directions and the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to one another, and
• in an instance the generated charges exceed a predetermined threshold, at least some of said sensors are configured to cause an output to be transmitted to the processing circuits.

A method comprising:

• obtaining a plurality of measurements of deformations from a plurality of respective sensors distributed within a deformable structure, wherein the deformable structure is configured to be worn over a body part;
• generating a signal identifying one or more features of said deformation based on two or more of said measurements;
• and
• transmitting said signal using one of pulse width modulation, pulse density modulation, pulse train frequency modulation, or spike code modulation;
• wherein said generation of the signal comprises processing said two or more measurements using a plurality of processing circuits distributed amongst said sensors,
• wherein at least some of said sensors comprise piezoelectric material,
• wherein said piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of nanowires,
• wherein at least some of said sensors comprise a material that changes its capacitance when stretched,
• wherein at least some of said sensors are configured to monitor localized charges generated in response to stretching along first and second directions and the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to one another, and
• in an instance the generated charges exceed a predetermined threshold, at least some of the sensors are configured to cause an output to be transmitted to the processing circuits.