WO2022229691A1

WO2022229691A1 - Sensorized garment for a babysuit

Info

Publication number: WO2022229691A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/058204
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davide Giancarlo VIGANÒ; Maurizio MACAGNO; Maria Pia CARMAGNANI; Kevin FURNARI; Stefano Rossotti
Original assignee: Sensoria Italia S.R.L.; Nova Years Llc
Priority date: 2021-04-30
Filing date: 2021-09-09
Publication date: 2022-11-03
Also published as: IT202100011012A1

Abstract

A garment (1) wearable by a baby for monitoring a preset number of parameters of a human body is described; the garment (1) comprises: - a garment bodysuit (2) to be worn by a baby; - a plurality of sensors (3) arranged on the garment bodysuit (2) and comprising at least two pressure sensors (31); each sensor (3) being configured to detect a respective first signal (S 1) representing an applied pressure; - a monitoring device (4) configured to be placed in signal communication with each sensor (3) to receive the first signals (SI); - a control unit (5) to be placed in signal communication with the monitoring device (4) and configured to establish if the pressure applied is compatible with an event of excess of pressure and to generate a warning signal (WS).

Description

TITLE: “Sensorized garment for a babysuit”

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a sensorized garment to be worn by a baby, such as a t-shirt, bodysuit or baby onesie, for monitoring a predetermined set of parameters in a baby. These parameters can be for example the position of the baby in the crib and life parameters such as the breathing rate or heart rate of the baby. The object of the present disclosure can be employed at home or outside the home by a caregiver to remotely monitor the baby, e.g. when the parents and the baby are in a different room or in a different geolocation.

Background art

Garments to be worn by a baby for monitoring predetermined parameters are known in the state of the art.

The commonly known garments of this kind have sensors to provide information on, for instance, the heart rate, breathing rate and more generally the quality of sleep, such as the duration of the sleeping time and the positioning of the baby. Specifically, one of the aims of these garments is to assess if the baby is lying on its stomach, a high risk condition that can be dangerous for the baby. Indeed, such a condition is considered by clinicians a high risk situation that can lead to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Reference WO 2013/109892 describes a suit for a baby that includes capacitive sensors to detect the movement of the chest of a baby for breathing rate monitoring. The sensors are connected to an electronic controller connected to the bodysuit. The controller can be placed in signal communication, e.g. via Bluetooth, to a smartphone or to another device placed in the vicinity thereof, through which a caregiver of the baby can access the parameters measured. In certain dangerous conditions, the electronic device can give an alarm which is transmitted to the caregiver through the smartphone. The data collected through the controller can also be transmitted to a cloud system for remote monitoring and alerting.

Prior art problem

The commonly known systems are limited to providing information about the positioning of the baby. Therefore, these systems cannot detect if the baby is affected by an outside occurrence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present disclosure is to provide a garment wearable by a baby that can provide further information, namely allowing to detect if the baby is affected by an external occurrence, and to alert the caregiver if such an occurrence is detected.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method to assess the occurrence of an excess of pressure onto a baby.

These and other objects are fulfilled by a garment and a method as defined in any of the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DETAILS OF THE DRA WINGS

Further details and specific embodiments will refer to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a garment according to the present invention in a first configuration;

- Figures 2a and 2b show respectively a front and a back view of a second embodiment of a garment according to the present invention in a second configuration,

- Figure 3 shows a detail of the garment of Figures 2a and 2b; - Figures 4a and 4b shows a lateral sectioned view of an embodiment of details of the garment of the present invention;

- Figures 5a and 5b show respectively a front and a back view of a third embodiment of a garment according to the present invention in a second configuration;

- Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of the functioning of an embodiment of the garment according to the present invention.

The garment as shown in the accompanying figures shall be deemed to be schematically illustrated, not necessarily drawn to scale, and not necessarily representing the actual proportions of its parts. DETAILED DISCLOSURE

In the present disclosure, a garment according to an embodiment of the present invention is indicated with number reference 1.

The garment 1 of the present disclosure is wearable by a baby for monitoring a preset number of parameters of a human body. For example, the garment 1 can be a baby bodysuit or a onesie.

In the following, a specifical reference to a baby onesie will be made for ease of description, however no loss of generality is intended, as the teachings of the present disclosure can also be applied to other kind of garments, e.g. a t-shirt.

The garment 1 comprises a garment bodysuit 2 made of fabric and configured to be worn by a baby. For example, the garment bodysuit 2 can be made from cotton. With reference to Figure 1, the garment 1 has an external surface 26a, configured to face the outside environment, and an internal surface 26b configured to be in contact with the baby.

More specifically, the garment bodysuit 2 comprises an upper part 21 configured to accommodate a chest portion of a baby. The upper part 21 has an appropriate hole for the head of the baby and may comprise for instance long or short sleeves or the like.

The garment bodysuit 2 comprises a bottom part 22 configured to accommodate a lower body portion of the baby, e.g., the lower back of the baby, and may have appropriate leg accommodating pieces or the like.

The garment bodysuit 2 comprises a central part 23, intermediate between the upper part 21 and the bottom part 22.

In the garment bodysuit 2 also a front part 24, as shown in Figures 1, 2a and 5a, and a back part 25, as shown in Figures 2b and 5b can be identified.

According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom part 22 comprises a flap 91 extending from the back part 25 and connectable to the front part 24. Accordingly, the bottom part 22 and the flap 91 comprise respective fasteners configured to mate to connect the back part 25 with the front part 24. For instance, the flap 91 may be connectable to the front part 24 by means of snap buttons 210.

The garment 1 comprises a plurality of sensors 3 arranged on the garment bodysuit 2. The sensors 3 are configured to detect predetermined parameters of a human body. Specifically, each sensor 3 is configured to detect a respective first signal S I .

According to the present invention, the plurality of sensors 3 comprises at least two pressure sensors 31. Accordingly, each first signal SI is representative of a pressure applied onto each pressure sensor 31.

According to the present invention, the garment 1 also comprises a monitoring device 4 connectable to the garment bodysuit 2. The monitoring device 4 is configured to be placed in signal communication with each sensor 3 to receive the first signals SI. The garment 1 comprises a control unit 5 configured to be placed in signal communication with the monitoring device 4.

Specifically, the control unit 5 is configured to process the first signals SI. The control unit 5 comprises a processing module 51 to process the first signals SI.

The control unit 5 is also configured to establish if the pressure applied is compatible with an event of excess of pressure. In the present disclosure, an event of excess of pressure represents a sudden increase of pressure, exceeding predetermined values, applied onto the baby’s body, i.e. by an external object like a cushion or a parent co-sleeping with the baby.

The control unit 5 is configured to generate a warning signal WS. More specifically, the control unit 5 generates a warning signal WS in case an event of excess pressure is taking place.

Even more specifically, the control unit 5 is configured to set at least one threshold value TV to define an event of excess of pressure applied onto the baby. The control unit 5 comprises a reference module 52 to set at least one threshold value TV. The control unit 5 is also configured to compare the first signal SI from each pressure sensor 31 to the threshold value TV to establish if an event of excess of pressure is taking place. To carry out the comparison, the control unit 5 comprises a comparison module 53.

More details related to functioning of the control unit 5 are given below in the present description. Also, a method to assess the occurrence of an excess of pressure event is described in a later part of the present description.

With reference to the plurality of sensors 3 above described, preferably, the garment 1 also comprises additional sensors (not shown in the accompanying drawings) such as an accelerometer and/or a magnetometer and/or a gyroscope for instance to detect the breathing rate of the baby, his/her movements, positioning, duration of the sleeping time and so on. Even more preferably, these additional sensors are placed within the monitoring device 4.

With specific reference to Figure 1, the garment 1 comprises two pressure sensors 31. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the two pressure sensors 31 are arranged at the front part 24. More preferably, with reference to Figures 2a, 2b and 5a, 5b, the garment 1 comprises four pressure sensors 31. According to these embodiments, the pressure sensors 31 are arranged both at the front part 24 and at the back part 25. The pressure sensors 31 can be placed at the upper part 21 and/or at the bottom part 22 and/or at the central part 23.

Preferably, the pressure sensors 31 are placed at the upper part 21 of the garment bodysuit 2. More specifically, the pressure sensors 31 can be applied onto at least one surface 26a, 26b . Alternatively, the pressure sensors 31 can be embedded into the fabric of the garment bodysuit 2, thus being interwoven within the fabric, or sandwiched between the external surface 26a and the internal surface 26b.

Preferably, the garment 1 comprises a seat 10 configured to house the monitoring device 4 so as to connect the monitoring device 4 to the garment bodysuit

2

Preferably the seat 10 is arranged at the front part 24. More preferably, the seat 10 is placed at the bottom part 22 of the garment bodysuit 2. Even more preferably, the flap 91, when connected to the front part 24, is configured to overlap and enclose the monitoring device 4 when the monitoring device 4 is inserted in the seat 10. Preferably, the garment 1 comprises conducting lines 7 extending along the central part 23, from the upper part 21 to the bottom part 22. The conducting lines 7 are connected to the pressure sensors 31. The conducting lines 7 are also connected to the seat 10. Specifically, the conducting lines 7 connect the pressure sensors 31 among each other and connect each pressure sensor 31 to the seat 10. Accordingly, the conducting lines 7 can be arranged either on the front part 24 or also on both the front 24 and back part 25 depending on the positioning of the pressure sensors 31.

The conducting lines 7 are connectable to the monitoring device 4. Specifically, the conducting lines 7 are configured to connect the pressure sensors 31 to the monitoring device 4. In other words, the monitoring device 4 is connected to the conducting lines 7 and is in signal communication with the pressure sensors 31 when the monitoring device 4 is inserted in the seat 10.

More specifically, with reference to Figure 3, the conducting lines 7 comprise conducting yam 71. The conducting yarn 71 can be applied to the garment bodysuit 2 onto at least one surface 26a, 26b. Alternatively, the conducting yam 71 can be embedded into the fabric of the garment bodysuit 2, thus being interwoven within the fabric, or sandwiched between the external surface 26a and the internal surface 26b.

The conducting lines 7 comprise at least one conducting yarn 71 for each pressure sensor 31. Preferably, the conducting lines 7 comprise a further conducting yarn 71 that contacts each pressure sensors 31 connecting all the sensors 31 among each others, to provide a power supply line and drive data to the monitoring device 4 and thus to the control unit 5.

Alternatively to the conducting yarn 71, the conducting lines 7 can comprise lines drawn of conductive ink (not shown in the accompanying drawings). Likewise the conducting yarn 71, conductive ink lines can either be applied onto at least one surface 26a, 26b of the garment bodysuit 2 or be embedded into the fabric of the garment bodysuit 2, thus being interwoven within the fabric, or sandwiched between the external surface 26a and the internal surface 26b.

With reference to Figures 4a and 4b, preferably the garment 1 comprises a shielding layer 6. The shielding layer 6 is applied onto surfaces 26a and/or 26b of the garment bodysuit 2 to enclose and protect the pressure sensors 31 and the conducting yarn 71 or, eventually, the conductive ink. The shielding layer 6 can comprise, for instance, a layer made of vinyl polymer or made of any other non-conducting material applied onto surfaces 26a and/or 26b of the garment bodysuit 2. Preferably, the shielding layer 6 is configured to encapsulate current from pressure sensors 31 to the monitoring device 4 when circulating, thus providing for current shielding. Accordingly, the shielding layer 6 comprises two vinyl layers applied either on surfaces 26a and 26b so as to encapsulate the pressure sensors 31 and the conducting yarn 71.

According to an embodiment that includes conducting lines 7 made only of conductive ink lines, the shielding layer 6 can also be not provided.

The shielding layer 6 comprises a plurality of shielding patches 61. Specifically, each shielding patch 61 is applied onto a respective pressure sensor 31 to cover and encapsulate each pressure sensor 31.

The shielding layer 6 comprises a plurality of shielding lines 62. Each shielding line 62 is applied onto the conducting yams 71 to cover and encapsulate the conducting yarns 71, thus defining the conducting lines 7.

Again, with specific reference to Figure 3, preferably, the seat 10 comprises a plurality of terminals 12. Even more preferably, the seat 10 comprises a terminal 12 for each of the conducting yams 71. Each terminal 12 is configured to be connected to a corresponding terminal (not shown in the accompanying drawings) on the monitoring device 4 so as to provide signal communication through respective contact. For instance, the terminals of the monitoring device 4 can be pins arranged to mate each to its respective terminal 12 of the seat 10.

Preferably, each pressure sensors 31 is a textile pressure sensors 31. Preferably, each textile pressure sensor 31 has at least one dimension comprised between 1 and 20 centimeters. Even more preferably, each pressure sensor 31 has at least one dimension comprised between 2 and 15 cm.

The pressure sensors 31 can have different shapes. According to the example shown in Figures 1, 2a, 2b and 3, the pressure sensors 31 have a square shape. Alternatively, the pressure sensors 31 can have a rectangular shape, as shown in Figures 4a, 4b.

Preferably, the pressure sensors 31 are all equal and have the same shape.

Regarding the control unit 5, preferably, the control unit 5 is configured to be placed in signal communication with a user interface 16 to allow a caregiver to access the parameters detected. For instance, the user interface 16 is provided through connection to a caregiver device 17 such as a smartphone, which can be provided with an appropriate App to allow a parent to monitor the parameters detected. The user interface 16 is connectable to the control unit 5, e.g. via Bluetooth connection, to receive and display the warning signal WS. It is worth noticing that the processing of the first signal SI, the setting of the threshold value TV and the comparison of the first signal SI with the threshold value TV can be carried out either all by the monitoring device 4, or partially by the monitoring device 4 and partially by an external device, e.g. the caregiver device 17, or totally by the caregiver device 17. More specifically, according to one embodiment, the control unit 5 can be placed within the monitoring device 4. In this case, the control unit 5, or part of it, can be manufactured as part of the monitoring device 4.

According to an alternative embodiment, the control unit 5 can be part of a device which is distinct from the monitoring device 4, and which is thus connectable to the monitoring device 4, e.g. via Bluetooth connection. Accordingly, the control unit 5 can be part of a smartphone, a laptop and so on, i.e. coincides with the control unit of the caregiver device 17. In this embodiment, the functionality of the control unit 5 is provided by a software application, and the user interface 16 can be implemented on the separate device at least partially by such software application. According to an alternative embodiment, the connection between the control unit 5 and/or the monitoring device 4 of the garment 1 and the caregiver device 17 can be indirect. Indeed, according to this embodiment, the control unit 5 is configured to be placed in signal communication with a Wi-Fi network placed in the vicinity of the control unit 5. The Wi-Fi network can be connected to a cloud memory unit to which can be accessed through the user device 16. In this way, a caregiver, through the user interface 16, can access the parameters of the baby also remotely.

The present description is also related to a method to assess the occurrence of an excess of pressure exerted on the baby’s body. For example, an excess of pressure event can occur in case of:

- someone rolling on the baby while co-sleeping, - someone placing a hand on the baby with too much force

- the baby sleeping on its stomach and compressing its lungs

- objects exerting pressure on the baby.

The method comprises a first step of providing a garment 1 such as the one described above.

Preferably, each first signal SI is related to an electrical resistance i.e. each first signal SI is a current difference which changes as a function of the applied pressure. Such current difference is preferably indirectly related to the applied pressure. In other words, the correlation function is not a direct relation, namely the higher the current detected, the lower the pressure applied. Preferably, the current change is detected and sampled as an integer number ranging an interval {0... 1023}.

Alternatively, the current change can be sampled at a higher resolution, i.e. as an integer number ranging an interval wider than the one above indicated.

The method comprises a step of detecting a plurality of first signals SI each representing a value of pressure in a respective predetermined area of the body of a baby, namely where the pressure sensors 31 are placed. Preferably, each pressure sensor 31 generates a respective first signal S 1.

The first signals SI are detected periodically for each pressure sensor 31.

The method then comprises a step of transmitting the first signals SI to a control unit 5 in signal communication with the pressure sensors 31.

A step of processing the first signals SI is carried out by the processing module 51 mentioned above, after the transmission of the signals SI to the control unit 5.

Preferably, during the step of processing, the first signals SI are maintained separated, one for each pressure sensor 31, so as to get a more accurate description of the pressure applied in various points of the garment 1, e.g. if the baby is pressed from an external occurrence only in a certain point. Indeed, in case an excess of pressure information is established only in one point, the excess of pressure event can be anyway assessed being the signals not averaged among each other.

The step of processing the first signal SI can include one or more of the following sub-steps: filtering of the signal, amplification of the signal, signal inversion, i.e. creating a direct relation of current and pressure.

Preferably, the step of processing the first signal SI comprises a first sub-step of filtering the first signal SI with a low-pass Butterworth filter. Preferably, the Butterworth filter employed has a specific frequency for noise cleaning. Preferably, the step of processing comprises then a second sub-step of signal inversion. More specifically, the filtered signal SI is transformed from a signal inversely related to the applied pressure to a signal which is directly related to the applied pressure.

Preferably, the step of processing the first signal SI also comprises a third sub- step of remapping the first signal SI, which is carried out after the above-mentioned second sub-step of signal inversion.

The sub-step of remapping the inverted first signal SI provides to arbitrarily define an interval ranging a normal condition value for each inverted first signal SI. Such sub-step is carried out in non-stressing conditions of the pressure sensors 31, namely before the garment body 2 is worn by a baby or when the baby is wearing the garment body 2 and no excess of pressure is exerted on the baby. Specifically, such interval has a lower value and an upper value defined respectively by filtering the minimum and the maximum values of the inverted first signal SI. This procedure is continuously reiterated as new first signals SI are detected, and the maximum and minimum values are continuously updated accordingly. The method according to the present invention comprises also a step of setting at least one threshold value TV to define an event of excess of pressure.

Preferably, the step of setting at least one threshold value TV is carried out during the third sub-step of signal remapping. Accordingly, preferably the reference module 52 is part of the processing module 51. Specifically, in the first reiteration finding the maximum and the minimum value of the inverted first signal SI, the maximum value is artificially increased up to a threshold value TV to leave space for an increase in the pressure measured. In this way the threshold value TV is set. A further sub-step of signal remapping is then carried out after the third sub step of signal remapping explained above. Preferably, each inverted first signal SI is remapped in an interval [0, 1] using the maximum and minimum values of signal calculated in the previous sub-step of remapping, so that different pressure sensors 31 can be compared and handled in the same way. After the step of processing the first signals SI and after the step of setting at least one threshold value TV, the method comprises a step of comparing the first signal SI from each pressure sensor 31 to the threshold value TV to establish if an event of excess of pressure is taking place. This step is carried out by the comparison module 53 mentioned above. In case an event of excess pressure is taking place, a step of generating a warning signal WS will follow.

Preferably, the step of comparing the first signal SI to the threshold value TV also comprises a windowing sub-step. The sub-step of windowing is carried out after the sub-step of remapping. The sub-step of windowing is carried out by applying three time window splits to each first signal SI. Specifically, the three time windows comprise a first subwindow, representing a first pressure condition, a second subwindow representing a second pressure condition, and an intermediate subwindow, intermediate between the first and the second subwindow and representing the trend to reach the second pressure condition from the first pressure condition. Average values of the first signal SI and a variance value of the first signal SI are then extrapolated for the first and the second subwindow.

At this point, the step of comparing the first signal SI to the threshold value TV comprises the sub-step of evaluating: - i) if the variance value of the first and of the second subwindow is below a first threshold value and

- ii) if the difference between the average values of the second and the first subwindow is above a second threshold value.

The method comprises a step of establishing that an excess of pressure event is given if the conditions i) and ii) are met.

Claims

1. A garment (1) wearable by a baby for monitoring a preset number of parameters of a human body, the garment (1) comprising:

- a garment bodysuit (2) made of fabric and configured to be worn by a baby; - a plurality of sensors (3) arranged on the garment bodysuit (2) and configured to detect parameters of a human body; each sensor (3) being configured to detect a respective first signal (SI);

- a monitoring device (4) connectable to the garment bodysuit (2) and configured to be placed in signal communication with each sensor (3) to receive the first signals (SI); - a control unit (5) configured to be placed in signal communication with the monitoring device (4) and configured to process the first signals (SI); characterized in that

- the plurality of sensors (3) comprises at least two pressure sensors (31), each of the first signals (SI) representing a value of pressure applied onto each pressure sensor (31); the control unit (5) being further configured to establish if the pressure applied is compatible with an event of excess of pressure and to generate a warning signal (WS) if an excess of pressure event is taking place.

2. A garment (1) according to claim 1, wherein the garment bodysuit (2) comprises: - an upper part (21) configured to accommodate a chest portion of a baby,

- a bottom part (22) configured to accommodate a lower body portion of a baby,

- a central part (23), intermediate between the upper part (21) and the bottom part (22); the pressure sensors (31) being at the upper part (21) and being applied onto a surface (26a, 26b) of the garment bodysuit (2) or embedded into the fabric of the garment bodysuit (2).

3. A garment (1) according to claim 2, comprising a seat (10) configured to house the monitoring device (4) so as to connect the monitoring device (4) to the garment bodysuit (2), the seat (10) being placed at the bottom part (22) of the garment bodysuit (2).

4. A garment (1) according to claim 3, further comprising conducting lines (7) extending along the central part (23) from the upper part (21) to the bottom part (22) and being connected to the pressure sensors (31) and to the seat (10).

5. A garment (1) according to claim 4, wherein the conducting lines (7) comprise conducting yam (71) and/or conductive ink lines, applied to the garment bodysuit (2) onto at least one surface (26a, 26b) or embedded into the fabric of the garment bodysuit (2).

6. A garment (1) according to claim 5, comprising a shielding layer (6) comprising:

- a plurality of shielding patches (61), each shielding patch (61) being applied onto a respective pressure sensor (31) to cover and encapsulate each pressure sensor (31);

- a plurality of shielding lines (62), each shielding line (62) being applied onto the conducting yarns (71) to cover and encapsulate the conducting yams (71) and defining the conducting lines (7).

7. A garment (1) according to claim 6, wherein the garment bodysuit (2) has a front part (24) and a back part (25), the seat (10) being arranged at the front part (24); the pressure sensors (31) and the conducting lines (7) being arranged both at the front part (24) and at the back part (25).

8. A garment (1) according to claim 7, wherein the bottom part (22) comprises a flap (91) extending from the back part (25) and connectable to the front part (24) so as to overlap and enclose the monitoring device (4) when the monitoring device (4) is inserted in the seat (10).

9. A garment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each pressure sensor (31) is a textile pressure sensor (31) having at least one dimension comprised between 1 and 20 cm.

10. Method to assess the occurrence of an excess of pressure onto a baby, the method comprising the steps of: - providing a garment (1) comprising a plurality of pressure sensors (31) wherein each pressure sensor (31) is configured to detect a first signal (SI) representing a value of pressure applied at the pressure sensor (31);

- detecting a plurality of first signals (SI) each representing a value of pressure in a respective predetermined area of the body of a baby; - setting at least one threshold value (TV) to define an event of excess of pressure;

- comparing the first signal (SI) from each pressure sensor (31) to the threshold value (TV) to establish if an event of excess of pressure is taking place;

- in case an event of excess pressure is taking place, generating a warning signal (WS).