Developing a smart multifunctional outdoor jacket with wearable sensing technology for user health and safety

Abstract

Over the decades, there has been a sustained effort to use fashion as a medium for delivering digital functionality. The goal is to integrate information technology (IT) into clothing to provide users with functions to assist them in their tasks. Regarding the direction of previous efforts, this study developed a multifunctional smart outdoor jacket prototype that senses, recognizes, responds, and manages various safety risks and potentially hazardous situations and identifies environmental factors that are difficult to predict. The prototype’s research and development (R & D) was carried out through the following steps. First, to determine functions that can practically assist users in outdoor environments and help ensure their health and safety, a user requirement survey subject to expert evaluation was conducted. Six functions were selected: (1) Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, (2) heart rate monitoring for self-health care, (3) emergency calls to request assistance, (4) temperature-reactive heating to retain body heat for survival, (5) fall detection and automatic emergency calls, and (6) ultraviolet monitoring for self-health care. Next, a wearable system and its garment platform were developed, containing detachable device modules for washability and ease of maintenance. Lastly, a dedicated smartphone application was developed for extended functionality. By exploring the use of clothing in diversifying wearable health care and HAR systems, the study could be used to diversify wearable healthcare and safety platforms.

Full text

Developing a smart multifunctional outdoor jacket
with wearable sensing technology for user
health and safety
Hyunseung Lee
1
&Kyungsoon Baek
2
Received: 16 July 2020 /Revised: 8 June 2021 /Accepted: 15 June 2021
#The Author(s) 2021
Abstract
Over the decades, there has been a sustained effort to use fashion as a medium for
delivering digital functionality. The goal is to integrate information technology (IT) into
clothing to provide users with functions to assist them in their tasks. Regarding the
direction of previous efforts, this study developed a multifunctional smart outdoor jacket
prototype that senses, recognizes, responds, and manages various safety risks and poten-
tially hazardous situations and identifies environmental factors that are difficult to predict.
The prototype’s research and development (R & D) was carried out through the following
steps. First, to determine functions that can practically assist users in outdoor environ-
ments and help ensure their health and safety, a user requirement survey subject to expert
evaluation was conducted. Six functions were selected: (1) Bluetooth hands-free calling
and audio streaming, (2) heart rate monitoring for self-health care, (3) emergency calls to
request assistance, (4) temperature-reactive heating to retain body heat for survival, (5)
fall detection and automatic emergency calls, and (6) ultraviolet monitoring for self-health
care. Next, a wearable system and its garment platform were developed, containing
detachable device modules for washability and ease of maintenance. Lastly, a dedicated
smartphone application was developed for extended functionality. By exploring the use
of clothing in diversifying wearable health care and HAR systems, the study could be
used to diversify wearable healthcare and safety platforms.
Keywords Technologicalconvergence.Engineering.Multifunctionalfashion.Outdoorfashion.
Smart fashion .Wearable technology
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-021-11166-7
*Hyunseung Lee
hslalpha@daum.net
1
Department of Fashion Industry, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
2
Modular Smart Fashion Platform Research Center, Kookmin University, Seoul, South Korea
Published online: 28 July 2021
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1 Introduction
Mann [32] introduces the concept of wearable computing to use clothing as a medium of
delivery of digital functionality that began in the 1960s [8]. The idea behind Mann’s concept is
to assist users in their work and daily tasks using devices placed at the closest possible distance
from their bodies. Meanwhile, the emergence of smartphones capable of complex computing
in the mid-2000s has made mobility an essential computing requirement. These ultra-portable
minicomputers’popularity allows users to browse the Internet, check their emails, watch
videos, and stream music, which has rekindled interest in wearable computing. Leading
information technology (IT) firms such as Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit started to develop
wearable devices linked to smartphones worn on the body for hands-free computing [34,37].
Moreover, to increase their appeal to consumers, today’s wearables are produced as
attractive fashion accessories such as watches, eyeglasses, and rings, leading tech companies
to further expand into fashion accessories. To emphasize the wearables’fashionable side,
growing numbers of tech firms are collaborating with fashion companies. For example, Apple
solidified its position as the wearable market leader by collaborating with Hermes and Nike [9,
49,56]. The recent advances in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies
will expect wearables and other products based on the convergence between IT and traditional
industries to hit the market in increasing numbers and variety [43]. Such a new direction in the
IT industry has enormous implications for the fashion industry, and this direction is likely to
have a significant impact on its product development strategy, giving it a new role and value
[25,26,57]. Compared to other fashion items, clothing has many unique characteristics that
make it particularly suitable as a wearable platform. Clothing, considered people’ssecond skin,
is more constantly present on the body than other fashion items. Technology can be integrated
into clothing to augment its basic functionality, turning it into a mobile platform supporting
sensing and an interface with context-aware computing [10,12,14,50]. Moreover, the
wearable system can be linked with a smartphone to provide certain computing functions that
can interfere with clothing’s basic requirements, such as comfort or wearability. By having the
smartphone process complex data and using it as a display device, only essential and specific
functions can be directly integrated into the garment platform [30,40].
This study explores a new role for fashion that embraces wearable electronic-digital
functions; functional clothing was an ideal topic for smart fashion research as these types of
clothes are worn for specific purposes to meet particular requirements. Currently, smart
clothing’s design direction for the convergence of the fashion and IT product markets had
moved toward physical monitoring, sports, and personal health care [40,49]. Among the
various types of functional clothing, outdoor sportswear is of particular relevance for the
study’s purposes because outdoor environments are, by nature, more unpredictable and can
expose explorers and athletes to unforeseen situations with safety implications. People who
engage in outdoor adventures, leisure, or sporting activities to enhance health and fitness are
more liable to perform physical exercises that are excessively strenuous and stressful for their
bodies without realizing it. Coupling the traditional functionality of clothing with digital
functionality can provide a wide range of benefits, including increasing user motivation for
outdoor or sporting activities, enhancing performance and comfort while ensuring safety from
health or external risk factors.
This study developed a multifunctional smart outdoor jacket prototype with a series of
functions designed to help its wearers manage hazardous or risky outdoor situations by sensing
and identifying potentially dangerous environmental factors to prevent accidents and injuries.
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The study aims to create a multi-channeled wearable HAR system using clothes as a platform
that can measure a user’s heart rate and body heat while analyzing its user’s state of activities
and environmental factors. This step was followed by an investigation for the optimal garment
platform design and technical design that enables the selected functions. The wearable operates
in conjunction with a smartphone to delegate complex computing processes and use it as a
display screen, reflecting the latest research and development (R & D) trend in wearable
technology to avoid sacrificing comfort and ease of movement. The digital system components
installed in the garment platform are kept as compact as possible without interfering with the
system’s functionality during the technical design process. The research process consisted of
four stages, as described in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 Research model of this study’s design process
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Existing smart clothes for outdoor adventures and sports were examined during this study’s
initial stage to define the smart outdoor jacket prototype’s functionality range. First, a user
requirement survey identified a series of functions selected by examining existing products.
Next, the functions selected by users through the survey were presented to three experts (a
wearable technology researcher, a fashion business professional, and an outdoor and leisure
expert) to finalize the list of the system’s functions. Six functions were selected: (1) Bluetooth
hands-free calling (BH), (2) heart rate monitoring (HM), (3) emergency calls (EC), (4)
temperature-reactive heating (TH), (5) fall detection and automatic emergency calls (FE),
and (6) ultraviolet (UV) monitoring.
The second stage saw the prototype’s preliminary design by mapping the configuration of
functional modules installed in locations that are least likely to cause discomfort to the wearer
or hinder movement. The design considered the planned method of attaching the modules for
easy removal and better washability of the garment platform. This stage also saw the
completion of the garment platform’s concepts and basic designs and the smartphone appli-
cation that provides extended functionality.
Based on the overall R & D concept and the basic designs defined and created during the
second stage, the multifunctional outdoor garment platform, device module housings, wear-
able system circuits, and the smartphone application were designed and developed in the third
stage. At the final stage, the prototype was tested outdoors to verify the garment platform’s
wearability and the functionality of each system component and the software application.
This study’s R & D focused on two points. The first explored the garment’s capability of
combining traditional functions such as protection and aesthetics with digital functions to assist
the user through the wearable system’s modules. The second expanded the system’s connec-
tivity with smartphones to enhance the hands-free automatic operation to help the user while
partaking in outdoor activities.
2 Review on wearable technology and smart outdoor wear
2.1 Wearable technologies for fashion application
Mann [32] introduced the concept of wearable technology in the 1960s. However, its technical
realization had to wait until the 2000s, when significant advances were made in mobile commu-
nications technology. The advent of affordable compact and light mobile devices gave a new
impetus to wearable research with related R & D actively undertaken by the industry, academia,
and government research institutions. The effort to develop wearable devices worn close to the
body to assist users in their work and daily tasks by extending their cognitive and physical abilities
led to the emergence of smart clothing integrated with various wearable technologies. Land
Warrior (smart military uniforms developed by the US army) and Life Shirts (medical clothing
developed by Vivometrix) are two well-known examples [19,42]. Many wearable technology
researchers have shown a keen interest in clothing as a wearable platform as garments are near-
constantly worn and sit closer to the skin than any other items worn on the body. Clothing and
wearable research aims to harness garments’potential benefits, such as near and constant presence
and mobility. These topics focused on designing and enabling functions optimized for specific
purposes simultaneously while augmenting their fundamental roles. Currently, key paradigms in
clothing and wearable research include wearable sensing (body sensing), context-aware comput-
ing, wearable interfaces, and augmenting traditional functions of clothing [10,12,14,33,50].
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2.1.1 Wearable sensing
Wearable sensing technologies allow users to measure their vital signs from a wide range of
body parts and recognize their body movements [14,33]. Alternating the sensors’types or
locations can change the sensing targets from the users’body conditions to the environmental
situations [18]. Wearable sensing, commonly applied in healthcare sensing or human activity
recognition (HAR) technologies, was investigated to adapt in medical fields and sports and
gaming [11,47]. In particular, wearable sensing for sports activities contains sensors embed-
ded in clothing, which measure a users’motion loads to control the intensity of exercise and
motivate physical exercise by providing calorie consumption data [11]. Composite sensors’
technological advancement like electromyogram sensors can monitor muscle and body move-
ments for sports care or coaching purposes [11,55]. Moreover, clothing-embedded sensors can
utilize the same sensors to deduce users’location, activities, and even emotional states [20,
51]. Thus, context-aware computing is a technology for user-centered wearable sensing to
recognize environmental information [14,27].
2.1.2 Context-aware computing and wearable interfaces
Context-aware computing possesses a large part of ubiquitous computing or pervasive computing in
wearable terms. It means spaces and objects become intelligent and, at the same time, independent
[12,14], similar to how the current concept of the Internet of Things is understood [16,31]. As the
computing environment has migrated from desks to human bodies in the form of wearables, suitable
input-output interfaces should be developed for contextual information, like sensing a user’s body
information or the environmental circumstances around him/her [14]. During the diversification of
wearable technology investigation from the 2000s to the 2010s, previous research suggested tactile
or gesture-based interfaces as the suitable input-output interfaces of context-aware computing for
wearable systems [10,12,50]. As gesture-based input and tactile-based output feedback do not rely
on a user’s visual sense than traditional computing interfaces, users can intuitively react to feedback
by performing physical activities that need their visual senses.
2.1.3 Augmentation of traditional fashion’s functionality
Furthermore, wearable technologies can augment fashion’s fundamental role and functionality,
such as basic protection and aesthetics [14,42]. For example, in the electronic heating function
developed to augment clothing’s thermal protection in 1968 [14], users no longer needed to
repeatedly wear and remove thick clothes to react to temperature changes by manipulating
function control switches on clothing platforms. The aesthetic aspects of fashion can also be
augmented through a similar principle as an individual’s expressive or aesthetic preferences
can change dramatically in a day. Users may control a garment’s appearance, such as its shape,
color, or graphics, via kinetic (motor) and lighting (light-emitting diode) technologies. As seen
in the collections of designer Hussein Chalayan and British fashion brand Cute Circuit,
technology augments fashion’s aesthetic or adorning role [5,14,24].
2.2 Wearable technologies for outdoor activities and the environment
Mountaineering, tracking, and hiking in mountainous terrains allow people living in modern
societies to temporarily escape from their daily routines and strict social structures, providing
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them with an opportunity to physically and mentally recharge themselves. Today, increasing
numbers of people engage in outdoor and leisure activities in the wild environments such as
mountainous terrains [2,7], and these activities, although distinct from one another to some
degree, all take place outdoors where people have to contend with the unpredictability of
nature. The sense of accomplishment provided by these activities comes from taking risks and
overcoming challenges. Unlike activities in a controlled setting like bungee jumping or
amusement park rides, outdoor leisure activities involve unpredictable safety variables like
fall injuries, fatalities due to steep, rugged terrain, etc. Outdoor adventures are challenging
because they occur in unfamiliar settings and that the types of activities have little to do with
what most people do in their everyday lives. People who engage in these activities are fully
aware of the risks and challenges presented by the natural environment’s unpredictability, the
psychological reward of overcoming them, and health benefits [36,45]. Some theories suggest
that the higher the risk of serious or fatal accidents in an outdoor activity, the greater the sense
of accomplishment experienced by its practitioner. In other words, people engaging in outdoor
activities are prone to take greater risks for a greater sense of accomplishment, an impulse that
further increases the risk of accident or injury [38,39,45].
Moreover, outdoor environments have numerous uncontrollable variables. Falls or other
types of distress situations in mountains and high-altitude terrain can often lead to fatal injuries
like skull, cervical, or hip fractures or hypothermia [35,36,45]. Therefore, the wearer’shealth
and safety are essential considerations for a wearable system. Health monitoring and safety
technology, allowing users to check their vital signs and alerting them about potentially
dangerous situations, can be especially effective if sensors are placed inside a garment. This
technology will make outdoor activities safer, motivate users, and help them achieve their
fitness objectives, increasing their sense of accomplishment. These considerations have been
the common direction of R & D, whether by the fashion industry or academia, on wearable
technology-based smart wear applications for outdoor use, even if the types of technology
have changed over time.
The Burton Motorola Audex down jacket is an outdoor sportswear jacket for winter sports
with pockets with built-in cell phone and iPod (mp3 player) ports. The wearer can control the
cell phone or the iPod without taking it out of the pocket using the control module located on
the left sleeve. The control module, consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and
membrane switches, allows the wearer to adjust the volume and change audio tracks. Thanks
to the hood’s built-in speakers, the wearer can listen to music and stream content without
wearing earphones or headphones [54]. The Life Tech jacket by the outdoor fashion company
Kolon Sports, developed through collaboration with Seymourpowell, is a survival jacket for
extreme weather and high-altitude regions like the Himalayas. Equipped with a thermal inner
layer featuring a conductive polymer heating system, the Life Tech jacket lets the wearer
choose between three heat levels (high 50 °C, medium 45 °C, and low 40 °C). The jacket has a
built-in GPS for emergency geolocation and also comes with a wearable wind turbine
generator for charging the GPS and mobile devices [46].
The SDJ (self-drying jacket)-01 by Falyon is equipped with a self-drying system designed
to keep its wearers dry in wet outdoor environments or on rainy days and prevent moisture
damage to the mobile devices they carry. The self-drying system is activated using the
membrane switch located near the belt along the jacket’s hemline. When turned on, the system
activates a series of air amplifiers inside the jacket’s lining, sucking in the humid air from the
outside and dry it. After the drying process finishes and the system is shut off by the user, the
vents located on the neckline release dry air [13]. Outdoor fashion brands such as Ororo and
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Raven have developed thermal outerwear lined with heat wire. Unlike traditional extreme
weather jackets stuffed with thermal insulation, these jackets are slim while being just as warm
or warmer. Most outdoor jackets are built with a similar heating mechanism. For example, the
thermal system of the Ororo softshell jacket uses heating pads placed near the chest and in the
central area of the torso, which is activated by a membrane switch located below the left
shoulder, to provide a thermal performance that is superior to that of traditional extreme
weather jackets. As electric heating is rather power-intensive, Ororo’s thermal jacket comes
with a removable 7.4 V secondary battery, which can also charge cellphones or other mobile
devices using the built-in USB port inside the pocket [3,4].
Aside from the previously mentioned outdoor products and cases, this study also referred to
some related studies that dealt with sensing a user’s activities concerning safety and aid. Park
et al. [40] developed a smart outdoor shirt that monitors the wearer’s heart condition using
wearable technology. The Bioshirt clothing platform was developed according to the body
proportions and sizes of people aged 40–69. Its wearable system, consisting of separate
modules, is removable from the garment platform. The wearer’s vital signs are measured
using a contact-type electrocardiogram sensor built with metal electrodes and conductive
fibers. The heart rate data is transmitted to the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth to monitor
cardiac status through a dedicated application [40].
A study conducted by Li et al. [28] investigated an Android smartphone application that
improves pedestrian safety when staring at smartphone screens. They utilized the smartphone’s
built-in gravity sensor, accelerometer, and forward-facing camera to measure the user’s
walking speed and eye movement. When the user reaches a specific walking speed and the
user’s eyes still stare at the screen, the system generates vibrations that urge the user to pay
attention to the road [28]. Meanwhile, Li et al. [29] studied the SmartJump smartphone
framework, based on Android API, to recognize a user’s jumping motions for exercise
tracking. They used a built-in accelerometer and magnetometer in a smartphone to detect
jumping motions and count the number of jumps performed. The framework consisted of three
phases: jump sensing, data processing, and jump detection, which were based on z-axis
acceleration data [29]. In comparison, Watson et al. [53] investigated the Magneto wearable
motion tracking system to the user’s elbow joint flexion for exercise tracking. In said study, the
effects of the Earth’s magnetic field on the measured data’s accuracy a key research point, and
a localized electromagnet was used to detect precise elbow joint angle changes [53].
Technologies used in the smart outdoor wear and user activity tracking research described
above are summarized in Table 1, organized by the type of electronic circuit element (input,
output, and control).
These examples show that smart outdoor clothing R & D consistently focuses on practical
functionality rather than entertainment functions despite the differences in enabling technolo-
gies. Besides the Burton Motorola Audex down jacket, the other examples’designs serve
beneficial purposes such as body heat retention, GPS-based geolocation, heart rate monitoring,
etc. However, most examples provide a single key function coupled with a few derivative
functions. Most of them also require the intervention of the wearer to activate a function. In
other words, wearables offering a broad range of smart functions or providing proactive
functionality where the system automatically performs tasks based on the contextual under-
standing of surrounding environments and situations without users’intervention are still very
much lacking. This study aims to develop a multifunctional wearable system platform with
proactive functionality linked to a smartphone for extended functionality to address the
shortcomings of existing smart outdoor wear.
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Table 1 Overview of the cases of existing smart-outdoor wear and user activity sensing technology
Input Output Control
Burton-Motorola Audex Down Jacket (2006) USB connector to external music devices Embedded speakers Microprocessor in the control panel
Switches on the control panel LCD screen on the control panel
Life Tech Jacket (2014) Membrane switch for heating Conductive polymer heating sheets Microprocessor in the GPS and user manual
control for heating and charging functionssmartphone application for heating level
adjustment
USB charging port
GPS receiver GPS transmitter
SDJ (2015) Membrane switch Air amplifiers User manual control
Softshell Jacket (2019) Membrane switch Heating pads, USB charging port User manual control
Bioshirt (2017) ECG sensor Smartphone applications Microprocessor in the system unit
Li et al.’s smartphone system (2018) Smartphone gravity sensor, accelerometer,
and front camera
Smartphone vibration motor Smartphone Android OS
SmartJump (2020) Smartphone accelerometer and magnetometer Smartphone screen Smartphone Android OS
Magneto (2021) Electromagnet Embedded Bluetooth (BLE) System circuit microprocessor
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3 Developing the multifunctional smart-outdoor jacket
3.1 Materials and methods
A multi-channeled body sensing and activity recognition technologies are constructed and
integrated into the clothing platform to provide health care and safety functions for outdoor
activities that measure the user’s vital signs and analyze the user’s activities. Based on previous
studies, their prototypes were developed to provide various functions, including heart rate
monitoring, rear detection for the hearing-impaired, obstacle detection and warning for the
visually impaired, and electronic heating for medical purposes [26,27]. These studies used
simple approaches to construct systems that provided one function using sensors to detect
stimuli and display or alert the user using measured data without analytical processes that
predict or perceive a user’s physical situation. Previous studies were focused on developing
wearable sensing systems for use in urban environments. However, more complex sensing and
processing technologies are needed when developing a similar system that monitors user
health and outdoor activities.
3.1.1 R & D concept development
In developing multifunctional smart outdoor wear, the range of outdoor activities included
intense activities such as climbing, light activities such as trekking, and other adventure and
leisure activities to ensure the prototype’s broad usability. As for the type of apparel, the
garment platform chosen was a jacket. Many outdoor activities involve dynamic movement
regardless of the types of activities and environments. If innerwear or bottom wear (pants) had
embedded wearable systems, the system’s devices could cause skin irritation and become
damaged because of constant friction against the body.
On the other hand, outdoor jackets generally cover half of the wearer’s body, ensuring free
body movements, and their rigid fabric protects the wearer from external stimuli. A jacket was
chosen based on the following advantages: its proximity to vital body parts such as the writs
and the heart, the convenient manipulation of the system’s digital interfaces, and the ease of
equipping sensors and devices for data collection. Moreover, these sensors are directly
exposed to external stimuli to recognize the wearer’s surrounding environment [14,25,52].
Based on the activity-related and technical considerations, the user requirements survey
determined the functions actual users need during outdoor activities, followed by expert evalu-
ation. A total of 80 respondents, who were men and women in their 20s and 30s, an age group that
tends to have a high interest in smart devices [23], were surveyed using the Graffiti Wall
technique. The questionnaire presented a series of functions present in wearable technology-
based smart clothing and asked the respondents to choose only one. Experts from three fields
related to the study’s prototype development (wearable technology, fashion business, and outdoor
leisure activities) reviewed the functions selected from the survey and provided their professional
opinions on their usefulness and technical feasibility. Six functions were selected through this
process, reflecting the R & D concept for the garment platform and the wearable system (Table 2).
The clothing platform’s specifications and configuration were developed for ease of use
because the prototype’s functions aimed for user convenience, comfort, health monitoring, and
emergency treatment while performing outdoor activities. As described in Table 3, the garment
platforms’functional systems were designed and developed so that the user does not need to
pay much attention to them during the outdoor activities.
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A major trend in wearable technology and its application is meeting a wearable system’s
computing needs through a smartphone. Therefore, exploring new functional possibilities of
smart fashion by focusing on practical benefits of wearables and user needs, rather than the
system’s computing capacity, appears to be a valid approach in line with the current industrial
and technological trends [11,40]. Moreover, R & D on smart fashion must not hinder clothing’s
traditional functionality while serving as a wearable platform [22,50]. The latest trend in the
development of smart wearables consists of integrating small electronic modules into platforms
that are otherwise traditional, both in designs and materials, as exemplified by the Nike+ smart
running shoes. System modules have their electronic circuits placed inside housings developed
using a numeral control milling machine or 3D printing technology and installed into the
garment platform so that they can be easily removed and reattached as needed [11,25,40]. This
assembly uses significantly fewer wires and cables than traditional electronic products, making
them less visually obtrusive while increasing the system components’durability.
On the other hand, there were concerns about the aesthetics of the modularized housings on
the garment’s surface. Three modeling and printing areas were investigated for the modules’
housing designs to address this concern, enhancing the garment platform’s wearability and
washability. Therefore, three objectives were set for this study.
The first objective is to develop a multifunctional wearable system based on wearable
sensing and context-aware computing technologies to provide practical functions to assist
users in their activities in outdoor environments. Second, the study must modulize the
wearable system for each component’s independent operation and devise an installation
method that allows easy removal and reattachment, helping maintain the garment platform’s
traditional usability. Lastly, to develop a smartphone application that provides extended
functionality to the wearable system.
3.1.2 Developing the garment platform
Platform design process Inaccurate readings by embedded sensors can occur in wearable
sensors built for healthcare purposes [48]. Consequently, garment platforms were composed of
a skintight silhouette to maintain the proximity between the users’bodies and sensors to
Table 2 Selected functions for this study’s multifunctional smart-outdoor jacket R & D
Function (number of votes) Function and usage
Bluetooth hands-free functions (9) The assistive function allows the wearer to make hands-free calls, listen to
music, and stream content using the built-in microphone, speakers, and
Bluetooth system
Heart rate monitoring (10) Healthcare function monitors users’heart rates during outdoor activities to
adjust the exercise intensity based on their physical condition.
Emergency calls (15) A safety assistance function allows the wearer to alert healthcare
professionals or emergency responders upon experiencing symptoms that
require immediate medical attention.
Temperature-reactive heating (10) A healthcare and safety assistance function that prevents hypothermia by
automatically activating a built-in heating system when the wearer loses
consciousness during outdoor activities in extreme weather conditions.
Fall detection and automatic
emergency calls (13)
Safety assistance function activates when the wearer loses consciousness
from falling. Emergency calls are automatically made to alert emergency
responders.
UV monitoring (7) Healthcare function monitors UV radiation to protect the wearer from
harmful UV levels.
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Table 3 The R & D direction of system development and operation methodology in each function
Wearable functions Wearable technology R & D
concept [50]
System function technique Direction of system operation method and role
Interface System control/
microcontroller unit (MCU)
Input Output
Bluetooth hands-free N/A Manual by user/mechanism Half-automatic connecting
with smartphones
(extended devices)
Automatic sound
releasing
N/A
Heart rate monitoring Body (wearable) sensing Software-automatic operation Automatic data measuring Automatic data sending
and displaying
Automatic data processing
Emergency calls
(manual)
Body (wearable) sensing
Wearable input-touch,
gesture interface
Manual–input & software-automatic
operation
Manual function operation
(touch-gesture input)
Automatic emergency
signal sending
Automatic input(order)
processing
Temperature
reactive-heating
Body (wearable) sensing
Context-aware computing
Software-automatic operation Automatic data measuring Automatic operation
ordering (heating)
Automatic data processing
Fall detection and
auto-emergency calls
Body (wearable) sensing
Context-aware computing
Software-automatic operation Automatic body movement
data measuring
Automatic emergency
signal sending
Automatic activity analyzing
and recognizing
UV monitoring Body (wearable) sensing Software-automatic operation Automatic data measuring Automatic data sending Automatic data processing
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minimize the external variables in sensing [14,57]. These skintight shapes, however, would
not be physically and socially comfortable [15]. Moreover, it is inappropriate for outdoor wear
to activate the wearers’activities and protect their bodies from external physical stimuli. Based
on these fashion and technical considerations, several criteria for designing this unisex garment
platform were selected.
First, the garment platform design must reflect the current (fall-winter 2019) outdoor sports
fashion trend and offer plenty of spaces to carry essential tools for outdoor activities. Second,
when integrating the six functions into the garment platform (Bluetooth hands-free calling,
heart rate monitoring, emergency calls, temperature-reactive heating, fall detection, automatic
emergency calls, and ultraviolet (UV) monitoring), the device modules must avoid interfering
with the user’s movements while allowing each system component to function optimally. The
components must be easily removed and reattached. Third, the function module housings’
designs were streamlined and rounded to mediate the platform’s aesthetics upon attachment to
ensure the garment’s traditional functions.
The garment platform’s design and development focused on the aesthetic and functional
standards of outdoor fashion, and the design considerations on the platform’s appearances are
as follows. Of the currently popular styles, oversized silhouettes are particularly well suited for
wearable platforms, which require room to fit in electronic components needed to integrate
technology. The garment platform’s initial designs started with an oversized silhouette larger
than regular outdoor jackets by reinterpreting the body’s skeletal system, applying simplified
lines, and adding a hood, multiple inner and outer pockets in shapes suitable for their
respective locations. For color combinations, several commercially available outdoor jackets
were chosen to reflect up-to-date color trends (Fig. 2). The platform’s final design and color
combination were chosen through discussions with the three experts previously consulted
while defining the R & D concept and considered while designing the wearable system
modules. Draft design C (Fig. 2) was selected, which has two outer pockets on either side
of the chest and the shoulders, with two large pockets below the chest.
Along with design considerations, the study also investigated the platform’s functionality
through traditional fashion approaches to enhance its usability as an outdoor garment aug-
mented by digital devices. For platforms intended for outdoor use, a sufficient number of
pockets are needed, and the outdoor jacket should have a hood because the Bluetooth hands-
free (BH) modules should be near the wearer’s head. For the jacket’s breathability and the
wearer’s comfort, two-way zipper closures were added to both sleeves and along the side seam
lines to provide airflow into the infra-axillary area where sweat can collect during intense
physical activities. The garment platform’s color is solid black (Fig. 3) because it absorbs more
radiation from the sun than other colors, helping the body retain heat, albeit marginally, under
extreme weather conditions. Although black has the disadvantage of low visibility at night,
other colors are not significantly superior in terms of nighttime visibility unless artificial light
Fig. 2 Sample images of design and color variation development
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is present. Integrating LED lighting into the garment can enhance visibility so that the
distressed wearer can be easily discovered even at night.
Platform construction process The platform was constructed to house six function modules
in specific locations. The Bluetooth hands-free module is located on the left side of the hood to
reduce the use of electronic wires connected to speakers close to the user’s ears. A UV
monitoring (UV) module was located in the out pocket on the right side of the chest; the
temperature-reactive heating (TH) function’s control module was located in the left chest out
pocket. Meanwhile, the two-in-one module integrating the heart rate monitoring (HM) and
emergency-calling (EC) functions was located near the left sleeve cuff. The fall detection (FA)
modules were located separately in the upper side of the front hemline (accelero-gyro module)
and the upper-middle side of the back (DMS module) (Fig. 4). Table 2and Fig. 4indicate the
specific functions and locations on the platform.
While drafting the flat pattern, the locations of module housings, which contain various
functional circuits, were marked by drawing their shapes in their actual sizes. A muslin
mockup was created to test the holes’positions for the system modules, produced through
3D printing, and the Velcro anchors for their functionality. The mockup was then fitted on a
Fig. 3 Selected design of the garment platform
Fig. 4 Finalized garment platform and the locations equipping each system module
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model to check whether it matches the design intent in terms of silhouette, length, complex
lines, and details like the sizes and positions of outer pockets. The fitting process also checks
whether the modules selected for the system modules are intended and match the modules’
shapes and sizes. The flat pattern was revised to reflect any design issues or errors in locations
of the system modules discovered during the fitting, and the constructed platform was based on
the finalized pattern with the correct locations of the modules (Fig. 4). In the locations of the
system modules of the garment platform, the blank spaces and Velcro assembling lines were
applied to equip the module housings (Fig. 5).
3.1.3 Developing functional systems
System design and development Given the numerous functional modules loaded into the
garment platform, devices that can minimize the modules’size and weight while providing
sufficiently high technical specifications were prioritized. Among the smallest and lightest
devices available to the research community, Tiduino, an ultra-compact microprocessor
compatible with Arduino, measuring 20 mm × 20 mm, and Bluno Beetle, an integrated
Bluetooth low energy (BLE) board, measuring 28.8 mm × 32.1 mm were selected. The system
allows alternating uses between Tiduino and Bluno Beetle depending on each component’s
functional characteristics by selecting the control, input, output, and power devices accord-
ingly (Table 4).
First, installing the hood’s module caused the center of gravity to shift toward the module
unless it is ultra-light and compact. Therefore, the system was constructed using a control
board with integrated BLE sound control chipsets, measuring 20 mm × 40 mm, and the
smallest possible 3.7 V lithium-ion battery (20 mm × 25 mm). No circuit schematic was drawn
up for the BH function, as the integrated Bluetooth sound control board only needs to be
connected to the speakers and the battery, making any further circuit design unnecessary.
Second, the HM and EC functions were consolidated into a single module placed at the
bottom of the left sleeve, deemed the best location based on their purpose and the components’
functional characteristics. A small, portable optical heart rate sensor, commonly used for
monitoring heart rates in outdoor environments, was also used in this study as the input device
for the HM function. For maximum efficiency and accuracy of measurements, the optical heart
rate sensor was placed as close as possible to the user’s skin. The sensor was designed like a
watch, as a detachable module worn on the left wrist, which is an area that is barely affected by
Fig. 5 Velcro lines inside the garment platform
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Table 4 Applied devices in each functional system design and development
Function Control device Input device Output device Power source
Hands-free Bluetooth Bluetooth Audio module,
MH-M28
Embedded Bluetooth classic Dual speaker 3.7 V LI battery
Heart rate monitoring and
emergency call
(two-in-one circuit)
Tiduino processor
(shared)
Heart rate sensor, Kong-tech HRM
2 (HM only), Pressure sensor
RA30P
(EC only)
SSD 1331 OLED Tiny screen
(HM only), Bluetooth,
HC-06(shared)
3.7 V LI battery (shared)
Temperature-reactive heating Arduini Nano Temperature-humidity sensor,
DHT-11
Embedded Bluetooth, HC-06,
heating sheets
5 V high capacity external
battery pack
Fall detection and
auto-emergency call
Inside Bluno beetle Six-axis gyro-accelerator sensor,
MPU6050 GY-521
Bluetooth, HC-06 5 V customized LI battery
Outside
(back)
Tiduino processor Infrared light DMSs, LK-DMS-C33 Bluetooth, micro-vibrating motors 5 V customized LI battery
UV monitoring Bluno beetle UV sensor, GUVA-S12SD Embedded Bluetooth, BLE 4.0,
Adafruit SSD 1306 0.96”OLED
screen, Neo pixel RGB flexible
LED strap
3.7 V LI battery
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the wearer’s activities. The HM system was designed to perform similarly to a high-accuracy
ECG, consisting of two channeled stereo wet electrodes attached to the user’sskintodetect
heart rate (PSL-iECG2), and the code that measures and calculates the heart rate values was
meticulously adjusted to match established value ranges.
Meanwhile, the HM control module was positioned at the bottom of the left sleeve to
reduce the distance between the sensor and the control module and minimize any negative
impact caused by user activities on the system’s durability. The EC function allows the wearer
to quickly make calls and send texts to request emergency assistance by touching the HM
module’s surface on the left arm, which the pressure sensor recognizes to make calls and send
texts. Therefore, the EC device and the heart rate monitoring sensor form a single module,
placed at the bottom of the left sleeve, and the program’s source code allows a single processor
to control both of these functions. This dual-function system’s circuit was constructed with
Tiny Screen (25 mm × 32 mm), an ultra-compact organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display
compatible with Tiduino for use with the HM module, along with a Bluetooth 3.0 module,
heart rate sensor, a pressure sensor, and a 3.7 V lithium-ion battery (Fig. 6).
Third, the TH system uses a high-capacity (2 Ah) external battery rather than a regular
built-in battery commonly used in mobile devices to extend this power-intensive component’s
duration. The system reacts to drops in body temperature and maintains it even without the
user’s intervention. Its circuit comprises a BLE module, Bluno Beetle–integrated board, a
temperature sensor, a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) module, 8
heating sheets, and a 5 V and 2 Ah high-capacity external battery. For the TH system’scontrol
module to obtain accurate measurements, the module was placed in the left chest pocket,
Fig. 6 Schematic diagram of the heart rate monitoring (HM) and emergency calling (EC) two-in-one circuit
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shielding the temperature sensor from the external atmosphere. Meanwhile, eight heating
sheets (four in the front and four in the back), placed near the heart, provide ample heating
to maintain the body temperature (Fig. 7).
The MOSFET module controls the external battery’s current because 2 Ah was unsuitable
for the Bluno Beetle microcontroller unit (MCU) and sensor units’electronic stability and
durability. Operating the TH module was comprised of two stages. Initially, the MCU detects
the body temperature and releases the heating sheets’operation signal when the temperature
was lower than the configured standard temperature (13 °C). Next, the battery’s maximum
current is supplied to the eight heating sheets through the MOSFET module, activating the
heating function (Fig. 7).
Fourth, the fall detection and automatic emergency call (FA) system has two different
system modules to reflect the diversity of outdoor environments, unlike the HM and EC
functions integrated into a single module. For flat and gently sloped areas, a 6-axis gyro
accelerator sensor will recognize the user’s activities. The sensor recognizes the velocity of
body movement and the body’s angle, detecting a fall from a high place by its angle and
acceleration. When a fall is recognized, this prompts the built-in Bluetooth module to make
calls and send texts to request emergency assistance. The module is placed at the bottom of the
Fig. 7 Schematic diagram of the temperature-reactive heating (TH) circuit remade with a metal oxide silicon
field-effect transistor (MOSFET) module
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body’s center to ensure the system does not respond to normal movement during outdoor
activities, like a normal forward bend. In mountainous areas, if the wearer gradually slumps
into a position with his back leaning against a slope, the angle and the acceleration pattern may
not be clear enough for the gyro sensor to recognize. An infrared distance measurement sensor
(DMS) compensated for this limitation in steep, rugged terrain. The DMS senses the rear areas
(center rear, left rear, and right areas) behind the user to measure the user’s actual distance and
the fall location. The DMS sends out alert signals when the user’s rear approaches the ground
or other structures to almost touch it (a distance of 15–30 cm). An extra assistive distance-
based function makes more productive use of the DMS installed on the garment’s rear. When
an object is approaching from behind (from a distance of 3–18 m), the built-in vibration motor
is activated to alert the user at specific distance increments. The system circuit was built with
Tiduino, whose communications port has more pins than Bluno Beetle (Fig. 8), which allows
the installation of three DMSs for sensing three directions and a vibration motor.
Fifth, the UV module was installed outside the right chest pocket, sufficiently and con-
stantly exposing the UV sensor to the sun, which is necessary for optimal measurement
accuracy. As UV radiation is not a stimulus that humans can sense, a screen displays its
intensity for the user and his/her companions. The screen with a flexible red, green, blue
(RGB) LED strip displays UV radiation intensity as values and color codes. In addition to
indicating the intensity of UV radiation in real-time through changing colors, the flexible LED
also produces a flashing light when the user is in distress and needs assistance to help
emergency responders locate him/her. The system also uses Bluno Beetle, the integrated
BLE processor, a UV sensor, and a 3.7 V lithium-ion battery (Fig. 9).
Of the six systems designed, the EC and FA systems need to be connected to a smartphone to
function, reducing its power requirement by dispensing with installing a separate global posi-
tioning system (GPS) in the wearable system, thereby reducing its power requirement. When the
user requests emergency assistance through a call or a text, family members or responders can
locate the wearer by tracking the smartphone using its built-in GPS. The smartphone offers other
potential uses to provide added functionality. For example, when used together with the TH
system, the smartphone can create and store statistical data from the sensor’s surrounding
temperature data to check this information when planning future trips to the same site. Based
on this information, the user can decide whether to bring an extra external battery to extend the
heating function or other equipment. With the UV monitoring system, the smartphone’s screen
provides a more user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) than the compact built-in screen of
the UV module, as the larger display makes information easier to read.
Therefore, the source codes controlling each system reflect the Bluetooth-based com-
patibility between the wearable system and the smartphone. There was no separate source
Fig. 8 Schematic diagram of the fall detection and automatic emergency calling (FA) systems: accelero-gyro-
sensing circuit (left) and distance measurement sensor (DMS) circuit (right)
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code for the BH function, as the integrated board’s firmware controls this function.
However, as the HM, TH, and UV systems continuously transmit data such as heart rate
information and information about the surrounding environment, a signal transmission
schedule was set to send sensor values twice every second. For the EC and FA functions
designed to activate only under certain circumstances, a signal transmission rule was
established so that an inactive signal is transmitted normally. An active signal is trans-
mitted when an activation signal is received. There is an increased potential for errors
because five of the six systems wirelessly transmit data to a single smartphone application
via Bluetooth. The source codes about sensor values are preceded by each function’s
initial letter and end with a period to minimize any confusion between signals sent by
different functional components of the wearable system. In addition, the source codes in
each function were uploaded to Github. Here we attach the links of each code for the
functions stated below in Table 5.
Based on the completed circuitry designs, the system modules were developed with the
housings built into the garment platform, and a test printing was performed with the mockup
fitting. The system module housing designs focused on the 3D rendering of slanted lines and
curves for seamless integration into their respective designated sites in the garment platform to
not disrupt its aesthetic lines (Fig. 10).
Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of the ultraviolet (UV) sensor’s circuit
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As indicated in Fig. 7, for easy removal and reattachment from and to the garment platform,
a 2 cm-wide base plate for Velcro tape was placed on each module housing. Small holes, 2 mm
in width, were punched into the base plate at regular intervals (4 mm), and the Velcro tape was
securely sewn onto it so that it will not loosen or shift positions even after frequent peeling and
sticking. The modular system ensures the wearability and washability of the garment platform
and the ease of maintenance.
Based on the circuit designs, the system modules were developed together with the
housings installed in the garment platform, and a test printing ensured the adequacy of the
3D models. Errors in the design of the inner space receiving the system components and the
sizing of the base plates were corrected before printing the final 3D model using the Cubicon
single plus printer, an FDM-type printer, and ABS filament. The housings’surfaces were
smoothened with putty and sanded, followed by compounding and coloring (Fig. 11) to ensure
that the module housings do not disrupt the prototype’s aesthetics.
Special attention was given to the placement of the housing circuitries to maintain the
system modules’durability. Placing the system components as close as possible to one another
kept using wires to a minimum. System mockups were then created to test-install them inside
the 3D-printed module housings. Moreover, to allow the user to shut off the systems when
they are not used to prolong battery life, a power control switch was added to all system
modules, the GND circuit connecting the battery, and the processor. Furthermore, the 5-pin
micro connector, an easy-to-use connector widely used for conveniently charging mobile
device batteries, allows the use of any commercially available external battery pack for
continued use during extended outdoor activities (Fig. 12).
Table 5 Github links of each functional system for the garment platform and the smartphone application
Type Function Links
Wearable system HM https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/
commit/d11c5060a08f000156aacedcac2f6e8f6a1c7b51
TH https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/
7b8ad6716f21c4dfb1feec9c5a8200a1069cf948
FA Acellero-gyro module https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/
0a9df0a427e8d86c8caac853362b7ff511ddf78d
DMS module https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/
f6339ae6ff464fd1c3da90f1de939ccb1c517057
UV https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/
e46b26c2f37ff73829941d564ae0fd028f9abb6c
Smartphone application https://github.com/kmucrc/MassCustom/commit/
4e8224de42cbf29ad20a1ceb0ee87f4f535fcff4
Fig. 10 3D models of each functional system module housing
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Devising a method allowing easy removal and reattachment of the modules was necessary
for the garment platform. First, holes were punched in the garment platform in shapes and sizes
that precisely match each system module’s outlines. A Velcro-based assembly mechanism was
created by placing anchors on the outer shell’s underside, along the holes’edges, and on a
hidden base plate for Velcro tape on the module housings’inner side (Fig. 13).
Development of smartphone application for expansive functionality A dedicated
smartphone application was developed to support the extended functionality and control
system processes when connected to a smartphone. The application is designed on the Android
platform, as Android is an open-source-based system compared to the closed source iOS
[1,15]. The extended functionality provided by the wearable system through the dedicated
smartphone application is as follows. First, the HM function, in addition to monitoring heart
rates, also collects and stores related data and provides them to the user as statistics. Second,
upon receiving emergency call signals, the EC function makes calls and sends texts to
emergency responders and the user’s chosen contacts listed on the phone. After sending the
calls and texts, the smartphone screen displays images with a flashing light to guide the first
responders to the user’s location. Third, the TH function monitors the current temperature and
gathers and stores temperature data to provide the user with statistical information. Fourth, the
DMS installed on the back of the garment platform detects objects approaching from behind in
three different directions, displayed in real-time as soon as they enter the detectable range in
the form of a graph to alert the user visually. Fifth and last, the UV function monitors the
intensity of UV radiation at the current point in time.
The application developed to support said functionalities is optimized for Android API 23
(Android 6.0) and above. Bluetooth provides communication between the wearable and the
application through five Bluetooth modules controlling the five functions, some of which are
Bluetooth Classic and others are BLE. Tiduino-based circuits use Bluetooth Classic and BLE
Fig. 11 Sample images of each system module housing development
Fig. 12 Application of the main power control switch and micro 5-pin charger
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for Bluno Beetle. The gateway dispenses with a Bluetooth module selection screen by having
separate communications managers automatically find the right Bluetooth module when each
system component connects to the application (Fig. 14).
The HM, EC, and TH system connection, which uses Bluetooth Classic, is ensured through
BluetoothClassicManager [6]. While Bluetooth Classic and BLE are structurally distinct,
communication occurs through the same three steps: device search ➔connection ➔retrieval
of data. The FA and UV systems, which use BLE, look for a BLE module nearby based on the
list of preassigned BLE addresses and attempt to establish a connection with a discovered
module [6,21,22]. When the connection is successful, the screen displays the corresponding
wearable function. Although Android has a built-in SQLite (open-source DBMS) and mainly
uses the SQLite database, this study utilized the Realm database, which is more intuitive to use
and has faster reading and updating rates [1,6,17,41,44]. The application developed based on
Fig. 13 The assembling–disassembling method between the platform and modules
Fig. 14 Graphical user interface (GUI) images of function selection (left) and Bluetooth connection (right)
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this logical structure has the following operating mechanism. The HM function measures the
user’s heart rate every 45 s, and stores the data in the database. The application then displays
the average heart rate based on stored data (Fig. 15).
The EC function, activated by the user through the input of pressure signals, makes calls
and sends texts to alert emergency responders and pre-selected contact persons. The phone
screen displays a simple flashing light animation to assure the user that the application
functions correctly and guides the responders to his/her location (Fig. 16). Meanwhile, the
TH function provides temperature information from the garment-based system using an
intuitive display based on three different background images corresponding to three temper-
ature levels. The temperature values are continuously obtained from the wearable system and
stored in the database (Fig. 17). The UV function displays the intensity of UV radiation as an
11-point scale index. Index values and the corresponding impact on the human body are color-
coded and indicated in text form (Fig. 18).
The FA function is triggered automatically when the gyro-sensing and DMS systems detect
unusual movements or changes in the body’s location, suggesting a fall, and transmits an
activation signal. Calls and texts alert emergency responders and the user’s designated contact
persons. Like the EC function, the FA function also displays the flashing lights animation on
the phone screen to guide approaching persons to the user’s location (Fig. 19). The derivative
Fig. 15 The heart rate measuring screen (left) and the screen displaying the measured heart rate value (right)
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function enabled by the DMS system, sensing objects approaching from behind, displays the
real-time distance of an object in three different directions (center rear, left rear, and right rear)
in the form of a graph (Fig. 20).
The statistics page lets users check their heart rate and temperature data, measured by the
HM and TH systems. This page displays both daily and monthly values as a graph by
retrieving data from the Realm database. The heart rate is the real-time value, current as of
the display, while the temperature is a 20-s average value calculated from the stored values
transmitted by the sensor twice per second. The user can select emergency contact persons in
the Settings menu to notify when the EC and FA functions are activated (Figs. 21,22 and 23).
Meanwhile, the source code of this smartphone application can be found on GitHub (Table 6).
3.2 Prototype usability testing results
In this study’s R & D stage, two converging research branches were considered: apparel design
and engineering technologies (electronic and software). The first branch focused on the
technical investigation of the design and construction of the platform’sform,internaland
external structural details, and material application. This step saw the installation of rigid
Fig. 16 The normal status screen (left) and the emergency alerting screen (right) of EC function
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system components (circuits and housings), consisting of electronic circuit components and
module housings, in the platform.
The second branch focused on investigating and developing condensed circuits with
durable and aesthetically pleasing housings, where the system modules would be placed in a
flexible platform. Based on the two research branches, the study aims to bridge the gap
between fashion and engineering by integrating wearable sensing and HAR functionalities
into clothing.
The final stage of R & D saw the completion of the multifunctional smart outdoor jacket
prototype by installing the wearable system modules into the garment platform (Fig. 24). The
developed prototype and the locations of each wearable system are stated in Fig. 18.The
developed prototype’s weight with and without the wearable system modules and each
device’s weight, including batteries, were indicated in Table 6, affecting wearability and the
users’activities.
This study’s prototype aims to provide multiple functions that ensure the user’shealthand
safety. Similarities functions were observed between this study’s prototype and the previously
Fig. 17 The temperature
monitoring screen
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mentioned study prototypes. Although Coron’s Life Tech Jacket and Ororo’s Softshell jacket
provide electronically induced heating functions similar to this study prototype’s TH function
[3,4,46], there are two key differences in the power supply and operation control. The softshell
jacket’s heating function is activated with a 7.4 V power supply, while the Life Tech Jacket and
softshell jacket’s functions were manually activated by the user. However, this study proto-
type’s TH function was designed to adapt a 5 V power supply commonly used in mobile
devices, and the prototype’s system is automatically activated using a temperature sensor.
The prototype in Park et al.’sstudywasdesignedtomonitorauser’s heartbeat in real-time
while performing outdoor activities [40]. Despite its similarities with this study’sHMfunction,
some changes were made to address the washability of the clothing platform and the systems’
sensors. Park et al. addressed the washability of the shirt by applying a dry ECG senor with
conductive fabric electrode patches directly attached to the user’s skin, to be replaced when the
prototype needs to be washed or when the patch is replaced. For this study’s HM system, a PPG
sensor (optical sensing type) was used to measure the user’s heart rate; the circuit was installed
Fig. 18 The screen displaying the
ultraviolet level
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in an independently modularized housing easily detachable from the garment platform. As a
result, electrode replacement and the garment platform washing were already considered.
Li et al.’s system tracks its user’s walking speed and eye movements through a
smartphone’s built-in gravity sensor, accelerometer, and forward-facing camera [28]. In urban
environments, tracking walking speed and eye movements can be efficient. However, doing so
in outdoor environments would be difficult and dangerous because of uneven surfaces and
slopes in wild terrain. Changes in incline angles were crucial factors that affected safety in
mountainous areas. Therefore, a six-axis gyro accelerator sensor was used to simultaneously
measure the acceleration and angle changes during fall detection rather than an image
processing camera system, and the DMS system was used during fall detection on slopes.
Meanwhile, Li et al.’s Android application framework was designed to detect jumping
motions based on a peak-valley-peak pattern identified by acceleration changes on the x- and
y-axes revolving around a z-axis [29]. However, this study’s FA system was designed to detect
sudden and extreme vertical acceleration changes on the z-axis and various changes along the
x-, y-, and z-axes to focus on fall detection in uneven and unpredictable outdoor environments.
Watson et al.’s previous study focused on elbow motion tracking accuracy using an
electromagnet-based sensing system that can be mounted on the user’sbody[53]. As this
study’s FA function was designed for fall detection in diverse outdoor environments, a six-axis
gyro accelerator sensor less affected by uncontrollable external stimuli was utilized, and DMSs
were applied to the FA system to circumvent the accelero-gyro-sensing system’s limitations in
certain geological conditions.
The prototypes of previous studies focused on the realization of one specific platform
function. In comparison, this study aimed to apply multiple outdoor activity functions into one
Fig. 19 The default screen (left) and animation displayed during emergency alerting (middle, right) of FA
function
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clothing platform. Tests were conducted with three testers in an outdoor environment to
confirm the usability of this study’s prototype.
The prototype was tested twice for wearability and ease of movement in Bukhan
Mountain National Park, South Korea. Three evaluators, labeled as A, B, and C, with
different heights, weights, and experiences, were recruited to the study (Table 7). The
first test was conducted with evaluator A, while the second test was performed by
evaluators B and C in the same environment (Fig. 25).
The testers wore the prototype in the test area and confirmed the ease of mobility in each
body part (arms, torso, legs, and joints). While climbing and moving, the testers experimented
with the prototype’s operability and the accuracy of the data obtained by each of the platform’s
systems (Fig. 19).
The specific tasks of the system operation in the experimental processes are as follows.
First, the BH function was tested to confirm its compatibility with the tester’s smartphone and
phone call quality in the environment. The experiment confirmed the effective operation of the
BH system.
Fig. 20 The screen showing an
approaching object detected from
the user’s rear
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Second, the FA function experiments were performed in two ways. The garment was
initially placed on a mannequin and thrown down the side of the mountain to determine if the
emergency call and message sent from tester A’s phone were received by a researcher standing
at the mountain’s base. Afterward, the testers wore the prototype to determine whether the FA
system reacted to the testers’motions and changes in their bodies’angles. Based on the results,
the FA system effectively operated as the system did not react to the configured actions.
Third, the DMS system testing was conducted when a researcher approached the tester’s
rear from three directions (directly behind, left, and right), and the testers monitored the
researcher’s direction and distance. Afterward, the testers experimented with the DMS sys-
tem’s compatibility with the FA system by lying on the ground near rocks and collapsed trees
to determine if the system sent an assistive signal to the FA system’s gyro module when the
distance between DMS and the ground or objects was 15 cm to 30 cm. The results confirmed
that the DMS system operated effectively in both tests.
Fig. 21 Heart rate and temperature
selection screen
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Fourth, in the TH function tests, the recorded temperature’s accuracy was evaluated by
comparing it with the National Weather Service’s official temperature data. The testers also
tested the automatic heating function using a thermometer placed in an internal pocket when
the external temperature was below 13 °C. The tests confirmed the automatic heating
function’s operability before reconfiguring the platform to test heating sheets’operability.
This second test also confirmed the operability of the TH system.
Fifth, the manual EC function’s operability integrated into the HM module was tested to
determine if the emergency call and message were sent to the researcher’s smartphone when
the testers placed their hands on the HM module’s touch sensor on their left arm. This test
confirmed the EC’sfunction.
Sixth, the HM function’s operability and the measured data’s accuracy were tested by
comparing them with heart rate data measured by commercially sold smartwatches (Apple and
Samsung). The testers wore the smartwatches and the prototype simultaneously and measured
their heart rate while performing various activities. After the climbing activities were finished,
each tester’s heart rate data, measured by each device, were examined to evaluate the measured
data’s accuracy. The results confirmed the similarity of the measured values. However, small
differences between the measured values were noticeable because the HM system was
designed to perform similarly to an electrocardiogram (ECG).
Fig. 22 Heart rate data (left) and temperature data (right) statistics screen
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Seventh, testing for damage caused by collisions with the modules or trees was also performed,
but none were observed. The Velcro joint structures between the platform and the housings did
not show any damage because they were anchored toward the garment’s inner surface with thread
and an epoxy resin adhesive. After each experiment, the testers were interviewed and surveyed,
and battery life in each wearable system module was determined. The wearable system was
Fig. 23 Settings menu screen for
configuring emergency call phone
numbers
Table 6 The weight of the prototype’s components and total weight (in g)
Category Garment platform
(without devices)
BH
module
HM module
including
sensor
module part
TH
module
FA system modules UV
module
Total
Accelero-gyro DMS
Weight 1486 g 39 g 110 g 490 g 52 g 160 g 40 g 2277 g
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placed on a mannequin and switched on in a mountainous environment to have each internal
system react with external stimuli until each system’s batteries gave out. The test was then
continued while descending the mountain until the testers reach the base of the mountain. Based
on the results, each system could stay active for four hours (3 h were spent during active
evaluation), and each system’s battery life is tabulated in Table 8.
After each test, except the battery life test, the testers filled a questionnaire composed of a
five-point Likert scale (Table 9), and each tester’s answer was tabulated (Table 10).
As seen in Table 10, the three testers gave positive feedback on the garment platform’s
wearability, operability, and ease of motion because the scores given were over 4.0 in the
individual categories and 4.4 and 4.1 on average. After answering the questionnaire, the testers
were interviewed to obtain specific comments about the prototype. The prototype’sperfor-
mance was based on five criteria: design and functionality; the visual balance between the
garment platform and the system modules; obstructiveness of the system modules; ease of use;
and the visibility and usability of the smartphone app’sGUI.
The specific results based on the testers’comments were as follows. First, the garment platform’s
design and functionality were suitable for mountaineering activities to protect the user’s body while
performing outdoor activities. Second, the prototype’s exterior was well-organized, and the differ-
ences in materials between the fabric and the ABS polymer modules are distinguishable. Third, the
oversized garment platform did not restrict movement despite having each functional module
distributed across the platform. Fourth, the various input-output interfaces were easy to use, and
all system components worked as expected. However, tester A commented that reading the UV
values on the UV system’s built-in screen was difficult because of the small font, which was noted as
a point for improvement. Fifth and last, the images and text used in the app’s GUI were intuitive, and
all functions were easy to use. There were no issues while monitoring the sensors’functions,
accessing statistics, making emergency calls, and sending texts.
Meanwhile, one tester noted that the 45-s processing time of the HM system, which is the
time taken to eliminate noise from heart rate data and calculate the average value, was
considered too long, even though the application checks this information while the user is
on the move. This issue was noted as another point for improvement. Additionally, after
measuring the prototype’s battery life, additional interviews with the three testers were
conducted to evaluate battery performance. During the interview, the testers determined that
the battery lives of the BH system, DMS module, and the UV system were insufficient and
should be upgraded for professionals or military personnel who perform extreme outdoor
activities over 5 h. However, the testers also provided positive assessments for the battery life
as each system would be suitable for the general public because the batteries could be easily
replaced or recharged using a 5-pin micro connector regardless of the environment.
Based on the results of each experiment, and aside from issues related to the font size of the UV
module, the app’s processing time for HM data and the battery life of the wearable systems, the
prototype, its systems, and the dedicated app, performed satisfactorily for functionality and usability.
The garment platform is highly wearable, and the wearable system and the dedicated app functioned
well and were easy to use. This study confirms that the study’s goal was accomplished.
4 Conclusion
Clothing has the potential to diversify wearable sensing and HAR functions. Based on this
premise, the study investigated the convergence of knowledge and techniques in apparel
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design and engineering to achieve wearable sensing and HAR system functionality in a
clothing platform that monitors users’health and their situation in outdoor environments.
The resulting prototype factors in the ranges of movement of each body part, the electronic
components’durability, and a suitable clothing platform during its construction to create a
wearable system that interacts with the user’s body and an accompanying smartphone app.
As a result of this study, the smart outdoor jacket prototype and a smartphone application
linked with the prototype’s wearable system to provide it with extended functionality were
developed. The system provides six functions to assist users in unpredictable outdoor environ-
ments, monitor their health status, and efficiently respond to emergencies: (1) Bluetooth hands-
free calling, (2) heart rate monitoring, (3) emergency calls, (4) temperature-reactive heating, (5)
fall detection and automatic emergency calls, and (6) UV monitoring. The evaluators tested the
prototype’s wearability and usability, the systems, and the smartphone application through the
climbing activity. The test found no significant issues except two small points for improvement,
Fig. 24 The prototype worn on a male model and locations of the equipped wearable devices
Fig. 25 The photos indicating the situations of the experiments in the outdoor environment by the three
evaluators
Table 7 The physical condition of each evaluator
Tester Height (cm) Weight (kg) Outdoor activity expertise Age
A 182 75 Camping, tracking 30
B 178 85 Tracking, rafting, camping 28
C 186 69 Tracking, camping, winter sports 26
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which are the font size used for the display of UV values on the built-in screen of the UV
module and the processing time of HM data. The overall prototype, including the garment
platform, wearable system, and smartphone application, performed as expected.
This study aims to develop wearable sensing and wearable HAR systems to provide
consistent and proximate health care and emergency treatment functionality through vital sign
monitoring and activity recognition using clothes to surpass the limited accessibility of existing
medical care systems. By transferring the operation of health-focused sensing and HAR
functions from indoor spaces to clothes worn on the human body, the study also hoped to
bridge the potential role of fashion and engineering sciences and expand healthcare and safety.
This study could be used as a basis for developing wearable systems with extended
functionalities. First, the prototype applied the concepts of wearable sensing, context-aware
computing, and wearable interfaces, which led to creating functions that recognize the user’s
vital signs, movements and change the body’s position. Future research can develop a
wearable HAR system with GPS systems for childcare purposes, including tracking their
locations and monitoring their health and physical activities.
Second, gyro sensing and distance sensing technologies used to the prototype’sFAfunction
and the autonomous operation could improve detection ranges and provide alternative control
interfaces that do not rely on the user’s visual or auditory input. This improvement could
develop a wearable system with direction-based sensors to assist auditory or visually impaired
people in any environment. In addition, developments in wearable sensing systems can
improve the lives of physically challenged people as they perform their daily activities.
Table 8 Approximate battery life of each wearable system during the usability experiments
System BH module HM module including
sensor module
TH module FA system modules UV module
Accelero-gyro DMS
Time 5 h 40 min 6 h 30 min 6 h 7 h 4 h 40 min 4 h 20 min
Table 9 Questionnaire of the evaluation for the evaluators (translated in English)
1. Garment Platform 2. Functionality (wearable system/smartphone ap-
plication)
1–1. The aesthetic-visual balance between the garment
platform and the module housings.
2–1. The operating interface (power switch and
input interface) of the wearable system (?)
1 (Bad) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Good) 1 (No) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Yes)
1–2. The usability of functional details, wearability, and
activity of body movement during the climbing activity.
2–2. Did you easily check the output interface
(screens) of the wearable system?
1 (Bad) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Good) 1 (No) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Yes)
1–3. Did you feel that the system modules (wearable
system) disturbed body movements during climbing
situations?
2–3. Did you easily perceive and handle the GUI of
the smartphone application?
1 (Yes) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (No) 1 (No) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Yes)
1–4. How was the prototype’s total weight, including the
garment and the suitability for intense outdoor
(climbing) activities?
2–4. Was the smartphone application effectively
operated during mountaineering activities?
1 (Bad) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Good) 1 (No) 2 3 (Neutral) 4 5 (Yes)
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Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge Eunjung Lee, Professor, Dept. of Fashion Design,
Kookmin University, for her assistance and support during the study.
Authors’contributions Conceptualization: Hyunseung Lee; Methodology: Hyunseung Lee; Formal analysis
and investigation: Hyunseung Lee, Kyungsoon Baek; Writing - original draft preparation: Hyunseung Lee,
Kyungsoon Baek; Writing - review and editing: Hyunseung Lee; Resources: Hyunseung Lee; Supervision:
Hyunseung Lee.
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the
Korean Government (MSIP) (Grant No. 2015R1A5A7037615).
Data availability Not applicable.
Code availability The library codes for each of the prototype’s systems are provided below, which are freely
accessible.
1. The library code (AFE4403_Raw.h) for the heartbeat measurement system is available on Device Mart
(https://www.devicemart.co.kr/goods/view?no=1272988#goods_file).
2. The library code (TinyScreen) for controlling the heartbeat monitoring system is available on TinyCircuits/
TinyCircuits-TinyScreen_Lib (https://github.com/TinyCircuits/TinyCircuits-TinyScreen_Lib).
3. The codes (BluetoothLeGatt) for the smartphone application (AS) are available on android/connectivity
samples/BluetoothLeGatt (https://github.com/android/connectivity-samples/tree/master/BluetoothLeGatt).
4.Thecodeofthisstudy’s HM system is available on GitHub (https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/
HyunseungLee/commit/d11c5060a08f000156aacedcac2f6e8f6a1c7b51).
5. The code of this study’s TH system is available on GitHub (https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/
HyunseungLee/commit/6b0d674d1bfb127f3e8a5eae035225e0bfe66165).
6. The code of this study’s acellero-gyro module (FA system) is available on GitHub (https://github.com/
HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/0a9df0a427e8d86c8caac853362b7ff511ddf78d).
7. The code of this study’s DMS module in the (FA system) is available on GitHub (https://github.com/
HyunseungLee-CRC/HyunseungLee/commit/f6339ae6ff464fd1c3da90f1de939ccb1c517057).
8.Thecodeofthisstudy’s UV system is available on GitHub (https://github.com/HyunseungLee-CRC/
HyunseungLee/commit/e46b26c2f37ff73829941d564ae0fd028f9abb6c).
9. The codes of this study’s smartphone application (Android) is available on GitHub (https://github.com/
kmucrc/MassCustom/commit/4e8224de42cbf29ad20a1ceb0ee87f4f535fcff4).
Table 10 The result of the assessment with the questionnaire by each tester
Tester Results of the assessment by the five-points
criterion about the garment platform in each
question
Results of the assessment by the five-points
criterion about functionality in each ques-
tion
A (30 years old) 1–152–14
1–252–23
1–342–34
1–442–44
Average 4.5 Average 3.5
B(28 yearsold) 1–142–15
1–252–24
1–352–35
1–452–44
Average 4.75 Average 4.5
C(26 yearsold) 1–142–14
1–242–24
1–342–35
1–442–44
Average 4.0 Average 4.25
Total average 4.4 4.1
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Declarations
Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which
permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give
appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and
indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's
Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included
in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or
exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy
of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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Publisher’snote Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps
and institutional affiliations.
Hyunseung Lee Assistant Professor, Dept. of Fashion Industry, Incheon National University. PhD Dept. of
Fashion Design, Graduation School of Techno Design, Kookmin University, MA. Applied Imagination in the
Creative Industries, Central Saint Martins, University of Art, London.
Kyungsoon Baek Researcher, Modular Smart Fashion Platform Research Center, Kookmin University. MA,
Dept. of Computer Science, Graduation School of Kookmin University, Kookmin University.
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