具有距离监测与辅助提示功能的自闭症儿童智能服装设计

Smart clothing design for autistic children with distance monitoring and auxiliary prompt functions

针对自闭症儿童社交与情绪障碍问题,设计了2款具备距离监测与辅助提示功能的自闭症儿童智能服装。首先,采用问卷调查与实地访谈等方法,归纳出自闭症儿童在穿戴、感统、心理认同3个方面的服装需求;其次,采用超声波距离传感器技术实现社交距离监测;再次,采用气动柔性气囊及可加热碳纤维模拟中医推拿治疗自闭症手法,加热加压刺激手腕部穴位,达到一定的干预和辅助提示患者的目标。研究结果表明:选用的超声波传感器精度高,形状小巧且耐脏污,将其嵌入服装中可有效识别0.2~3 m范围内的社交距离;通过柔性气囊的充气加压可对手腕部穴位产生7.90 kPa的服装压,有助于缓解患者情绪焦虑等症状;智能服装廓形设计采用H/A型,开合方式选用拉链,色彩选用冷色调,口袋设计为几何图形,面料设计兼具舒适性与功能性,符合自闭症儿童服装实际穿着需求。

Objective Social and emotional disorders are the core issues that affect the normal life of autistic children.Two sets of smart clothing that meet patients′needs for wearing were designed in this study,i.e.,sensory integration,psychological identity and aesthetic preference,and social distance monitoring and auxiliary prompting functions.This study integrated the concept of traditional Chinese medicine in functional clothing design,expecting to help develop the auxiliary therapy and smart wearable research and application direction of autistic children.Method The clothing needs of autistic children were firstly summarized in three aspects:wearing,feeling and psychological identity using questionnaire survey and field interview.Ultrasonic distance sensor technology was adopted to realize social distance monitoring.Flexible pneumatic air bags and heating carbon fiber were adopted to simulate traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)massage therapy for autism,and heat and pressure were adopted to stimulate wrist acupuncture points to achieve certain goals of intervention and auxiliary prompting of patients.Results Children with autism need clothing with clear signs to guide them put on and take off with easy ways of fastening and undressing.Study indicated that they preferred soft and non-irritating fabrics and clothes with regular patterns and cool colors.Concealed intelligent controls with auxiliary debugging functions were more in line with the psychological identity needs of such children and their families.Reasonable social distancing is helpful to maintain patients′psychological sense of security.In combination with social distancing and epidemic prevention suggestions,the monitoring distance selected was 0.5-3 m.The ultrasonic distance sensor has high precision with small shape and dirt resistance which could effectively identify social distance when embedded in clothing,and the effective monitoring range was within 0.2-3 m.Statistics of TCM treatment of autistic children showed that stimulation of acupoints could effectively relieve the emotional disorder symptoms of patients.Multiple effective acupoints were distributed centrally at the wrist.Combined with the convenience of clothing,flexible air bags were placed at the cuff position to simulate the effect of TCM massage.The data showed that appropriate clothing pressure was helpful to release pressure,no more than 7.90 kPa at the arm.CLO3D software was adopted to simulate the pressure of the cuff on the wrist when the airbag was not inflated,and the pressure on the wrist after inflation.When a patient was in the unsafe social distance,the flexible air bag and the heating carbon fiber inside the clothing were triggered,and the pressure and heat stimulate the wrist acupuncture point to stimulate the patient so as to relieve anxiety.According to the survey results of patients′clothing needs,the smart children′s clothing was designed as H/A shape with zipper fastening,cool colors,and geometric pocket design.The fabric was designed with two layers,where the inner layer is soft and comfortable,and the outer layer has certain support to adapt to functional accessories.Conclusion The ultrasonic distance sensor is connected with the flexible air bag and the heating carbon fiber to achieve multiple functions of social distancing monitoring,air bag massage and heating,which can not only play the effect of auxiliary reminder secretly,but also properly relieve the emotional disorders of children with autism to a certain extent,and meet the physical and mental needs of patients and caregivers.The integration of TCM treatment concepts into clothing has a huge market prospect and is of great significance for the improvement and application of smart clothing and adjuvant therapy effect for autistic children and other special groups.