DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRONICS VIA FLEXIBLE CIRCUITS ON A WEARABLE ARTICLE

1 . A system configured for use with a wearable article, comprising:

a heating portion comprising at least one heater trace; and

a strain sensing portion comprising a flexible circuit formed from a deformable conductor, the flexible circuit comprising a strain sensor and an inertial measurement unit,

wherein the heating portion is configured to radiate heat using the at least one heater trace, and wherein the heating portion is further configured to radiate heat based on measurements received from at least one of the strain sensor or the inertial measurement unit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating portion is disposed on a first structure, wherein the strain sensing portion is disposed on a second structure, and wherein the first and second structures are different.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating portion and the strain sensing portion are electrically isolated using at least one transformer.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating portion further comprises a temperature sensor, and wherein the heating portion is further configured to radiate heat based on a measurement received from the temperature sensor.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating portion comprises a first controller configured to control heating operations, and wherein the strain sensing portion comprises a second controller configured to control strain sensing operations.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the strain sensing portion comprises a central processing unit (CPU) configured to control strain sensing operations, and wherein the CPU is further configured to control heating operations of the heating portion.

7 . A wearable article, comprising:

a heating assembly comprising a heating element configured to generate a thermal energy, wherein the heating assembly comprises at least one trace made from a deformable conductor configured to generate a first signal in response to physical deformations;

a power component configured to provide electrical power to the heating assembly; and

a processor communicably coupled to the heating assembly and the power component, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive the first signal from the deformable conductor;

determine a condition of a user of the wearable article based on the first signal; and

adjust the thermal energy generated by the heating element in response to the determined condition of the user by causing the power component to adjust the electrical power provided to the heating element.

8 . The wearable article of claim 7 , wherein the determined condition of the user comprises at least one of shivering or physical strain, and wherein adjusting the thermal energy comprises increasing the thermal energy generated by the heating element.

9 . The wearable article of claim 7 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor measures a temperature of the heating assembly.

10 . The wearable article of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the thermal energy generated by the heating element is further in response to the measured temperature of the heating assembly.

11 . The wearable article of claim 7 , further comprising a flexible circuit formed from the deformable conductor and comprising the at least one trace, wherein the at least one trace is configured to measure strain based on the physical deformations.

12 . The wearable article of claim 11 , wherein the heating element is disposed on a first structure, wherein the flexible circuit is disposed on a second structure, and wherein the first and second structures are different.

13 . The wearable article of claim 11 , wherein the flexible circuit further comprises an inertial measurement unit configured to measure at least one of an acceleration or angular velocity of the wearable article based on the physical deformations.

14 . A wearable article, comprising:

a transistor;

a heating element;

a flexible circuit formed from a deformable conductor configured to generate a first signal;

a power component configured to provide electrical power to the heating element and the flexible circuit; and

a processor communicably coupled to the transistor, wherein the processor is configured to cause the transistor to regulate an amount of electrical power supplied to the heating element by the power component based on the first signal.

15 . The wearable article of claim 14 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to generate a second signal, wherein the processor is communicably coupled to the temperature sensor to receive the second signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to cause the transistor to regulate an amount of electrical power supplied to the heating element by the power component based on the second signal.

16 . The wearable article of claim 15 , wherein the power component, the temperature sensor, the transistor, and the processor are hosted on the flexible circuit.

17 . The wearable article of claim 16 , wherein the processor and power component are positioned within a housing that is configured to be removably secured to the flexible circuit.

18 . The wearable article of claim 14 , wherein an amount of electrical power provided to the flexible circuit is smaller than an amount of electrical power supplied to the heating element.

19 . The wearable article of claim 14 , wherein the first signal comprises information relating to a condition of a user of the wearable article.

20 . The wearable article of claim 19 , wherein the condition of the user comprises at least one of shivering or physical strain.