Textile and Apparel Science

Exploring Fit and Anchoring Considerations for Movement-Sensing Lower-Limb Wearables

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Abstract

Movement-sensing garments are increasingly explored for rehabilitation and health monitoring, however, sensing performance is strongly influenced by wearability considerations. This study examines how garment fit and functional anchoring affect the accuracy of a stitched textile strain sensor for knee flexion measurement. Four knit legging prototypes in two sizes were constructed with a coverstitched conductive strain sensor positioned at the knee, with and without silicone-backed elastic anchoring. Five participants completed squat trials while knee flexion was simultaneously captured using optical motion capture. Sensor resistance data were modeled against joint angles using quadratic regression, and accuracy was assessed via root mean square error (RMSE). Results indicate that looser garment fit increased sensing error, while anchored designs generally improved sensor linearity and reduced RMSE. Although variability across trials indicates potential confounding factors, findings highlight the critical role of fit and anchoring strategies in the design and validation of textile-based wearable sensing systems.

Keywords: wearables, sensing, fit, sizing, functional apparel design

How to Cite:

Beaudette, E. & Dunne, L. E., (2025) “Exploring Fit and Anchoring Considerations for Movement-Sensing Lower-Limb Wearables”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21979