Consumers today have witnessed the wearable technology market explode over the past few years. Most of us are familiar with the latest wave of smart bracelets and watches like the “Fitbit” which are designed to track our steps, monitor our sleep, and examine our heart rate.
These devices have inspired consumers to improve their fitness, track their health goals, or at the very least―count the number of steps it takes to grab a coffee between meetings. Amazingly, the application for wearable technology in our daily lives is still in its early stages, with many innovations yet to come.
How is realistic simulation technology helping to usher in the next generation of wearable technology?
Smart companies are using realistic simulation to develop new wearable tech that gets even more personal. Earlier this year, L’Oréal showed off its first-ever “stretchable” electronic UV monitor, cleverly dubbed the My UV Patch. This stretchable skin patch can be placed nearly anywhere and will help consumers monitor their sun exposure and potential risk. According to L’Oréal, 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with excessive sun exposure. These patches may serve as a useful reminder to all of us to regularly put on sun screen.
Yet, imagine the next time you spend the day outdoors you could get a real-time update that your skin is at risk. This revolutionary technology allows the wearer to take a photo of the patch and upload it to a mobile app, which then analyzes the status of the skin in that region. L’Oréal’s new patch can virtually stick anywhere on our skin and is light-weight, thin, and waterproof. An avid beachgoer like me could certainly benefit from this type of product!
SIMULIA Community News recently had the opportunity to sit down with Doctor Yonggang Huang, longtime Abaqus user and one of the leading developers of L’Oreal’s stretchable electronic patch.
In order to make the L’Oreal patch stretchable, Doctor Huang’s team used realistic simulation software to come up with a curvilinear shape which would allow the device to stretch with the skin while remaining functional. The team leveraged realistic simulation software to test different geometric shapes and virtually evaluate and optimize the design.
Dr. Huang faced the daunting challenge of designing an electronic patch that could stretch up to 20% or higher to accommodate for all the motions on the skin’s surface. FEA software made it possible for the team to analyze the different possibilities and decide the best route for fabrication, all while saving time and money by reducing the development cycle.
To learn more about the application of realistic simulation to develop wearable technology, read the full interview with Dr. Yonggang Huang.
