Dr. K.R. Sanjaya D. Gunawardhana, Postdoctoral Researcher, Dublin City University

The wearable technology industry is at an inflection point: demand for clinical-grade joint monitoring is surging, yet every current solution forces a compromise between sensitivity, comfort, and power. Motion capture labs stay in the lab. Rigid sensor packs sacrifice wearability. Battery-dependent wristbands lack precision. This session introduces Fabrigami, an origami-inspired, self-powered textile sensor that resolves all three constraints simultaneously.

Fabrigami works by thermally imprinting a mountain-valley fold sequence directly into standard polyester fabric, creating a mechanical force multiplier that converts joint movement into highly resolved electrical signals, no battery required. The triboelectric sensing layers, built from electrospun silver-doped cellulose acetate nanofibers paired with PVDF, achieve a sensitivity of 11.7 V/kPa at low pressure and 5.2 V/kPa under vigorous joint loading. Six embedded sensors in a knee sleeve stream real-time data via Bluetooth to a smartphone, detecting knee angles to within 10 degrees and distinguishing walking, running, stair climbing, and squatting from electrical signatures alone.

Attendees will leave understanding how origami engineering, electrospun nanomaterials, and conventional textile manufacturing are converging to create the next generation of smart garments and how these techniques translate into new product opportunities in medical textiles, performance apparel, and beyond.