Brief Summary
Apple has a patent that allows it to integrate circuits and sensors into fabric (we’ll call it ‘smart fabric’). Apple has also filed for another smart fabric patent (not yet granted) that specifically details applications in health monitoring.
Date of patent for smart fabric: October 8, 2019
Date of patent application for smart fabric detailing health monitoring: October 3, 2019
[2] Link to the patent application
Disclaimer: This is my personal take on the patent and opinions from other people may differ.
Full Summary
I will be referring to both Apple’s patent on smart fabric [1] and Apple’s patent application on smart fabric with details in health monitoring [2] together.
Smart Fabric
Apple’s patent allows it to create ‘fabric-based items’ with sensors and circuitry integrated into the fabric.
The fabric may include intertwined strands of material including conductive strands. Signals from the force sensing circuitry may be conveyed to control circuitry in the item using conductive strands. Wireless circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to convey force sensor information to external equipment. [1]
We can imagine a simple application of an item, such as a glove, being able to control Apple devices by pressing down on force sensors. The more interesting applications for smart fabric is around using it for consumer health monitoring. Think of an Apple watch, but for your whole body, tracking everything from heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and other vitals. More on this down below.
Figure 4 is a smart fabric glove where the sensors are coupled with an electronic device. Figure 5 is a cross section of the glove, where #42 is the finger, #12 is the smart fabric, and #44 are force sensors in the fabric. Figure 10 shows a strip of sensors weaved into fabric.
The fabric-based items may have super capacitors for energy storage and other electrical components that can be laundered in hot water and dried in a clothes dryer without damage. To withstand damage when the fabric-based item is stretched, fabric may include strengthening strands and conductive strands may be provided with meandering paths with more slack than the strengthening strands. [2]
Apple is planning to seamlessly integrate circuitry into fabric in a way that is indifferentiable from normal fabric. Unlike current electronic shirts that are rigid, unwashable with its circuitry, and have batteries attached, Apple plans to make its smart fabric feel and act ‘normal’ by making it stretchy and washable.
Health Monitoring
The circuitry may include sensor circuitry for making measurement on the body parts such as electrocardiogram measurements, blood pressure measurements, respiration rate measurements, and other measurements. [2]
Apple seems to be planning on creating a full health profile for consumers where they can monitor important vitals and track abnormal fluctuations without visiting a health professional.
Figure 1 shows a piece of smart fabric communicating with an electronic device, #10 is the smart fabric item (such as a head band) containing all the electronic components. Figure 2 shows an elastic smart fabric item (such as a head band) where #36 are energy storage devices, #42 are electrodes, and #54 are components for measurements (such as electrocardiogram measurements).
This is super exciting for consumer health because consumers would be able to track important vitals every single day without visiting a health professional, be able to detect abnormal fluctuations, and be able to get far more accurate readings and more data than they currently can with the Apple Watch and iPhone.
A huge application may also be in sports. We can imagine many accelerometers in athletic apparel made of smart fabric that tracks user activity far more accurately than the Apple Watch.
In a similar light to Oura Ring, smart fabric (if it existed) may have aided tremendously in the diagnosis and containment of COVID-19. The possibilities for this technology are really endless.
Some Final Thoughts
Apple is in a position to completely dominate the personal health space. Apple has the most popular smart watch already monitoring basic health data for consumers and many people already track their fitness daily through their Apple Health app. With smart fabric, Apple could easily make an entire health profile for consumers. This health profile would not only be looked at by the consumers, but also by health professionals. I can imagine a scenario where the Apple Health app schedules doctor checkups due to anomalies in vitals or a scenario where doctors look at consumers Apple Health data to diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications either in person or virtually.
One of the inventors of the patent application [2] is Daniel Podhajny who is on the inventors list of many Nike patents while he was working on the iconic Nike Flyknit sneaker. This makes me believe that this smart fabric technology is a serious thought that Apple is pursuing and that Apple’s smart clothing would be fashionable and sleek, like many of its products. The more fashionable smart fabric and smart clothing can be, the more widely adopted it will become.
Will we see smart clothing be as ubiquitous as the Apple Watch?
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