Developing a smart multifunctional outdoor jacket with wearable sensing technology for user health and safety

Over the decades, there has been a sustained effort to use fashion as a medium for delivering digital functionality. The goal is to integrate information technology (IT) into clothing to provide users with functions to assist them in their tasks. Regarding the direction of previous efforts, this study developed a multifunctional smart outdoor jacket prototype that senses, recognizes, responds, and manages various safety risks and potentially hazardous situations and identifies environmental factors that are difficult to predict. The prototype’s research and development (R & D) was carried out through the following steps. First, to determine functions that can practically assist users in outdoor environments and help ensure their health and safety, a user requirement survey subject to expert evaluation was conducted. Six functions were selected: (1) Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming, (2) heart rate monitoring for self-health care, (3) emergency calls to request assistance, (4) temperature-reactive heating to retain body heat for survival, (5) fall detection and automatic emergency calls, and (6) ultraviolet monitoring for self-health care. Next, a wearable system and its garment platform were developed, containing detachable device modules for washability and ease of maintenance. Lastly, a dedicated smartphone application was developed for extended functionality. By exploring the use of clothing in diversifying wearable health care and HAR systems, the study could be used to diversify wearable healthcare and safety platforms.