Shape sensing clothes to inform the wearer of a condition

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including:

a first fabric;

a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is arranged to detect a change in electrical impedance in response to the detected first shape-related parameter; and

one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal; and

circuitry responsive to the first signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to a third signal, different from the first signal, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to produce the second signal in response to the third signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a physiological sensor arranged to sense a physiological parameter of the user, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to produce the third signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first region of the first fabric, and wherein a second set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second region of the first fabric, different from the first region of first fabric, and wherein the one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to stored information to determine the first shape of the first fabric.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors are configured to provide one or more corresponding measurements, the one or more corresponding measurements being associated with one or more corresponding regions of the first fabric.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reference shape corresponds to a previously determined shape of the first fabric.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shape-related parameter includes at least one of a force, a stress, a pressure, a strain, a bend, a twist, a deformation, a geometry, a surface topology, an orientation, a reflection, or a position of one or more portions of the first garment.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first fabric includes at least one of metal, polyester, Tyvek®, nylon, spandex, rayon, cotton, wool, leather, linen, soy, bamboo, rubber, down, silk, or paper.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first signal includes at least one of an electrical signal, an electromagnetic signal, an ultrasonic signal, or an acoustic signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce the first signal, the first signal being indicative of a magnitude of at least one of a detected force, a detected stress, a detected strain, or a detected deformation.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power source operably connected to provide power to at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce the first signal, the first signal being indicative of a direction of at least one of a detected force, a detected stress, a detected strain, or a detected deformation.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reference shape of the first fabric substantially corresponds to a target shape of the first fabric.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first shape of the first fabric corresponds to a first time, the reference shape of the first fabric corresponds to a second time different from the first time, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the second time.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including:

a first fabric;

a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal; and

one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal;

circuitry responsive to the first signal and a third signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user; and

wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the physiological condition includes at least one of posture, shape, arthritis, depression, weight, volume, area, dimension, or gait.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a first garment configured to be worn by a user and including:

a first fabric;

a first set of one or more sensors, the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors being arranged to detect a first shape-related parameter of the first fabric and responsive to the detected first shape-related parameter to produce a first signal, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors is arranged to detect a change in mechanical impedance in response to the detected first shape-related parameter; and

one or more control elements responsive to a second signal and arranged to provide a force on the fabric corresponding to the second signal; and

circuitry responsive to the first signal to determine a first shape of the first fabric and configured to compare the first shape of the first fabric to a reference shape of the first fabric, and to produce the second signal corresponding to a difference between the first shape of the first fabric and the reference shape of the first fabric, the second signal being indicative of a physiological condition of the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to a third signal, different from the first signal, and wherein the circuitry is further configured to produce the second signal in response to the third signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a physiological sensor arranged to sense a physiological parameter of the user, wherein the physiological sensor is configured to produce the third signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first region of the first fabric, and wherein a second set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second region of the first fabric, different from the first region of first fabric, and wherein the one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponds to a first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further arranged to detect a second shape-related parameter of the first fabric corresponding to a second time interval, different from the first time interval, and wherein the first set of one or more sensors is further responsive to the detected second shape-related parameter to produce the third signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuitry is further responsive to stored information to determine the first shape of the first fabric.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the one or more sensors in the first set of one or more sensors are configured to provide one or more corresponding measurements, the one or more corresponding measurements being associated with one or more corresponding regions of the first fabric.