Prototyping of Smart Wearable Socks for Periodic Limb Movement Home Monitoring System

Abstract

The recent development of functional materials, including smart textiles, has enabled the development of wearable biosignal measurement devices that are easy to handle and can be used on a daily basis, even by non-medical users. We focused on sleep disorders as a preliminary application for wearable devices, which are reported to be associated with or exacerbate other diseases, and must therefore be detected early and treated appropriately based on the usual sleep status of the patient. Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), which induces nocturnal awakening due to PLM while sleeping, is a sleep disorder that is thought to affect a considerable number of individuals. Since polysomnography (PSG), which needs time consuming hospitalization and forces a financial burden on the patient, is the only practical method for PLMD screening, some PLMD patients are supported to be remain undiagnosed and untreated.