Responsible innovation for Wearable Technology: Designing for Circularity, Anne Prahl PhD Presentation, WEAR Sustain Open Call London Launch, Digital Catapult, 3rd May 2017

1. Responsible innovation for Wearable Technology:
Designing for Circularity
Anne Prahl PhD
concept+design
3rd May 2017

2. Wearable Technology Design: Challenges

3. Challenges: Designing for a real user need
1 ‘The Shirtulator’, Lucy Dunne 2 iPod control integrated school blazer, Marks & Spencer 3 Wearable artificial pancreas system, Pancreum
1 2 3

4. Challenges: Manufacturing & in-use issues
4 Precious mineral harvesting for smartphones (photo: Marcus Bleasdale/National Geographic) 5 Distraction in a Connected World (photo: China Daily/Reuters)
4 5

5. “Embedding electronic devices into textiles results in a novel category of products…
the findings suggest that widespread application of e-textiles could result in the
emergence of a new waste stream.”
Andreas Köhler, ‘End-of-life implications of electronic textiles’ (2008)
6 Child sitting amongst cables and e-waste (photo: Greenpeace) 7 Textile waste in a landfill in Syria 8 Data-logging shirt utilising sensors and conductive threads, Northeastern University
Challenges: End-of-life issues for textile-based Wearable Technology
6 7 8

6. PERMANENT INTEGRATION: KNITTED, WOVEN, PRINTED, EMBROIDERED, LAMINATED & EMBEDDED
32
34
9 Knitted textile-based electrode, Textronics Inc. 10 Woven electronic textile, Jacquard project 11 Printed chemical sensors, UCSD 12 Embroidered electrochemical sensors,
Michigan State University 13 3D printed dress with integrated LEDs, Annouk Wipprecht
9 10
911
Challenges: End-of-life issues for textile-based Wearable Technology
1312

7. Opportunity: Design for Circularity

8. Design for Circularity: Approach
14
15
14 Linear v circular economy (diagram: www.ellenmcarthurfoundation.org/education) 15 Puma biological & technical process as part of the InCycle take-back program

9. Paper-like:
Printability
Rubber-like:
Next to skin comfort
Felt-like:
Tactility
Design for Circularity: Substrate material concepts
16 17 18
16 Tyvek clutch by Design & Paper 17 Inlaid Skin’ by Andreea Mandrescu 18 Felt insole sample, Scholl

10. Paper-like:
Printability
Rubber-like:
Next to skin comfort
Felt-like:
Tactility
Design for Circularity: Substrate material concepts
19 20 21
19 Wax-printed paper sensor, The University of Texas at Austin 20 Adhesive sensor, Northwestern University 21 Needle-felted sensor, Lara Grant

11. Skin as the carrier Body as the carrier Clothing as the carrier
Design for Circularity: Form factors
22 Temporary tattoo sensor, Electrozyme 23 Electronic fingertip, University of Illinois 24 First Warning System (now Cyrcadia Health) sensor bra
22 23 24

12. Design for Circularity: Future Wearable Tech concepts

13. Design for Circularity: Reuse & repair
DIY MANUFACTURE // ADHESIVE // NEXT TO SKIN // DURABLE-REUSABLE // UPGRADE & REPAIR
25 26 27
28 29 30
25 Bare Conductive skin-based conductive ink 26 Lix 3-D printing pen 27 Sweat sensor ‘plaster’, University of Cincinnati/Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) 28 Wearable sweat
sensor design illustration, A.Prahl 29 Wearable sweat sensor prototype, A.Prahl 30 O.update printable electronics

14. Design for Circularity: Recycled & recyclable
31 Recycled activity tracker, Benjamin Hubert 32 ‘Active disassembly’ for mobile phones, NOKIA/ University of Technology 33 wear2 microwave textile disassembly technology
34 Klight stretchable electronics dress, Mareike Michel/ Fraunhofer IZM 35 Wearable sensor design illustration, A. Prahl 36 SKYN condom material suit
RECYCLED & RECYCLABLE NONWOVENS // MONO-MATERIAL // DISASSEMBLY // WEARABLE SKINS
31 32 33
34 35 36

15. Design for Circularity: Biodegradable
37 ‘Transient electronics’, University of Illinois/ Beckman Institute 38 Wax-printed paper sensor, The University of Texas at Austin 39 Fabrican sprayable textiles 40 Rainwater-
responsive textiles, Dahea Sun 41 Electroloom 3-D fabric printer 42 Spray-printed latex and cotton Cosyflex
TRANSIENT ELECTRONICS // BIODEGRADABLE NONWOVENS // SPRAY & 3D-PRINT // LO-TECH
37 38 39
40 41 42
39

16. • DESIGNING FOR A REAL USER NEED
• CROSS-DISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION
• DESIGN BRIEF AS A TOOL FOR RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

17. Thank you for your attention
Anne Prahl
concept+design
anne.prahl@btinternet.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-prahl-2983627

18. Image references
ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM THE INTERNET AND ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS ARE USED FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, IN ORDER TO ILLUSTRATE THIS
PRESENTATION HELD ON THE 3RD OF MAY 2017 ON BEHALF OF WEARsustain. THE COPYRIGHT FOR COMMERCIAL REPRODUCTION OF ALL IMAGES REMAINS
WITH THEIR ORIGINAL OWNER.
1 ‘The Shirtulator’, Lucy Dunne Image taken from Dunne, L. (2010) ‘Smart Clothing in Practice: Key Design Barriers to Commercialization’ Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative
Process & the Fashion Industry, 2 (1), pp. 41-66(26).
2 iPod control integrated school blazer, Marks & Spencer https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/15/mns_school_ipod_jacket/
3 Wearable artificial pancreas system, Pancreum http://www.mauroamoruso.it/06.html
4 Precious mineral harvesting for smartphones (photo: Marcus Bleasdale/National Geographic
http://inhabitat.com/marcus-bleasdales-stunning-photos-reveal-the-ugly-truth-behind-smartphone-manufacturing/
5 Distraction in a Connected World (photo: China Daily/Reuters) http://maya.com/blog/wearables-the-decline-of-distraction-in-an-ever-connected-world
6 Child sitting amongst cables and e-waste (photo: Greenpeace) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/detox/electronics/
7 Textile waste in a landfill in Syria http://wastebiorefining.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/collecting-system-for-textile-wastes.html
8 Data-logging shirt utilising sensors and conductive threads, Northeastern Universityhttp://www.ecouterre.com/smart-textile-shirt-protects-baseball-pitchers-from-elbow-injuries/
9 Knitted textile-based electrode, Textronics Inc. http://www.talk2myshirt.com/blog/archives/423
10 Woven electronic textile, Jacquard project http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/google-debuts-new-electronic-smart-fabrics
11 Printed chemical sensors, UCSD http://jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/pulse/fall2010/research7.shtml
12 Embroidered electrochemical sensors, Michigan State University http://pubs.rsc.org/is/content/articlelanding/2016/lc/c6lc00307a#!divAbstract
13 3D printed dress with integrated LEDs, Annouk Wipprecht http://www.neonscope.com/Fashion/Outofthebox/867-anouk-wipprecht-creates-mind-controlled-synapse-dress
14 Linear v circular economy (diagram: www.ellenmcarthurfoundation.org/education)
15 Puma biological & technical process as part of the InCycle take-back program
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/puma-introduces-c2c-certified-recyclable-track-jacket-backpack-part-incycle
16 Tyvek clutch by Design & Paper https://www.designandpaper.com/?p=5512
17 Inlaid Skin’ by Andreea Mandrescu http://www.julemag.com/designer-andreea-mandrescu-interview/
18 Felt insole sample, Scholl (photo by A.Prahl)
19 Wax-printed paper sensor, The University of Texas at Austin http://www.laboratory-journal.com/news/scientific-news/origami-styled-sensor-technology-rapid-diagnostics
20 Adhesive sensor, Northwestern University https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/research-news/conventional-components-flexible-skin-sensor-2014-04/
21 Needle-felted sensor, Lara Grant http://lara-grant.com/
22 Temporary tattoo sensor, Electrozyme http://medcitynews.com/2014/09/electrozymes-metabolism-monitoring-temp-tattoos-backed-mark-cuban/
23 Electronic fingertip, University of Illinois https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22162-fingertip-tingle-enhances-a-surgeons-sense-of-touch/
24 First Warning System (now Cyrcadia Health) sensor bra https://hpectechtrends.wordpress.com/category/6-smart-technology/page/3/
25 Bare Conductive skin-based conductive ink http://www.blendingpoint.com/the-b/bare-conductive-ink/
26 Lix 3-D printing pen http://www.designboom.com/technology/lix-3d-printing-pen-05-01-2014/
27 Sweat sensor ‘plaster’, University of Cincinnati/Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) http://www.uc.edu/news/nr.aspx?id=17241
28 Wearable sweat sensor design illustration, A.Prahl PhD thesis http://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/9077/
30 O.update printable electronics http://www.3ders.org/articles/20120910-o-update-manufacturing-personal-electronics-with-3d-printing.html
31 Recycled activity tracker, Benjamin Hubert http://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/02/layer-benjamin-hubert-concept-wearable-worldbeing-wristband-tracks-personal-carbon-consumption/
32 ‘Active disassembly’ for mobile phones, NOKIA/ University of Technology http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/gadgets-that-self-destruct-active-disassembly.html
33 wear2 microwave textile disassembly technology https://bridgebrighton.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/new-garment-dismantling-technology/
34 Klight stretchable electronics dress, Mareike Michel/ Fraunhofer IZM http://fashioningtech.com/?s=klight+
35 Wearable sensor design illustration, A. Prahl PhD thesis http://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/9077/
36 SKYN condom material suit http://www.designboom.com/design/skyn-condom-material-jump-suit-pauline-van-dongen-07-25-2016/
37 ‘Transient electronics’, University of Illinois/ Beckman Institute http://discovermagazine.com/2013/september/12-stretchy-flexy-future
38 Wax-printed paper sensor, The University of Texas at Austin http://www.laboratory-journal.com/news/scientific-news/origami-styled-sensor-technology-rapid-diagnostics
39 Fabrican sprayable textiles http://www.fabricanltd.com/press.php
40 Rainwater-responsive textiles, Dahea Sun http://materiability.com/rain-palette/
41 Electroloom 3-D fabric printer https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/electroloom/electroloom-the-worlds-first-3d-fabric-printer
42 Spray-printed latex and cotton Cosyflex http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/fit-for-purpose-textile-technologies/