Wearable athletic activity monitoring systems
A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity includes a garment formed of textile material, and a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment. The sensor module includes a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic, and a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the single-purpose sensor. The sensor module includes no external port.
1. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:
a garment formed of textile material; and
a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment,
wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,
wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor,
wherein an exterior of the sensor module is portless, and
wherein the sensor module comprises a flexible printed circuit board.
2. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a thin-film battery and a super capacitor.
3. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises a near field communication circuit.
4. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a solar cell, a kinetic energy conversion unit, and a thermoelectric generator.
5. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic.
6. The sensor garment of claim 5 , wherein the sensor module comprises no sensor in addition to the single-purpose sensor.
7. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is sewn, laser welded, or adhered to the garment.
8. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an acceleration sensor.
9. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a magnetic field sensor.
10. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is sealed within a waterproof membrane.
11. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is sealed between two layers of thermoformable film or membrane.
12. The sensor garment of claim 11 , wherein the two layers are films of thermoplastic polyurethane.
13. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module comprises a power source configured to be charged by inductive charging.
14. The sensor garment of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module is configured to receive power through a near field communication radio transmission.
15. The sensor garment of claim 1 , comprising an external component removably coupled to the textile material of the garment and configured to electronically connect with the sensor module.
16. The sensor garment of claim 15 , wherein the external component comprises at least one of an external memory device, an external power source, and an external radio antenna.
17. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:
a garment formed of textile material;
a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment; and
an external component removably coupled to the textile material of the garment and configured to electronically connect with the sensor module,
wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,
wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor, and
wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a thin-film battery and a capacitor.
18. The sensor garment of claim 17 , wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by the capacitor, and
wherein the capacitor is a super capacitor.
19. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:
a garment formed of textile material; and
a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment,
wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,
wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor,
wherein the sensor module comprises a near field communication circuit,
wherein the sensor is a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic, and
wherein the sensor module comprises no sensor in addition to the single-purpose sensor.
20. The sensor garment of claim 19 , wherein the sensor module is a flexible printed circuit board.
21. The sensor garment of claim 17 , wherein the external component comprises at least one of an external memory device, an external power source, and an external radio antenna.