Development of a Clothing Pressure Measurement Method Using Flexible Strain and Bending Sensors: Comparison with the Air Pack Method

This paper presents an innovative approach for measuring clothing pressure using flexible strain and bending sensors, classifying it as an indirect method that utilizes Kirk’s formula. This method is positioned as a complementary technique that is particularly effective for dynamic regions near bones and joints, where conventional methods often suffer from reduced measurement accuracy. Traditional direct methods, such as air-pack sensors, face limitations in dynamic measurement, including sensor deformation artifacts and slow response times. The proposed method employs a flexible strain sensor to gauge garment elongation and a bending sensor to evaluate the curved surface shape of the body. Clothing pressure was calculated using Kirk’s formula, which incorporates garment tension (derived from the strain and pre-measured material properties) and the body’s radius of curvature. The effectiveness of the method was validated through experiments conducted under both static and dynamic conditions, and the results were systematically compared with those obtained using an air-pack pressure sensor, a widely adopted direct measurement standard. The findings revealed a strong correlation with the traditional method, underscoring the accuracy and practical utility of the proposed indirect method. This study highlights how the proposed method can mitigate the limitations of the direct methods, particularly in dynamic scenarios. While the proposed method shows promise, challenges remain, including the need for pre-measured stress-strain curves and the inability to measure pressure from the garment weight. Future work will focus on overcoming these limitations to further advance the technology for applications in garment design, wearable devices, and medical and welfare sectors.