Flex Sleeve
Creator: Stephen Jiang
Supervisor: Peter Yeadon
Collaborator: Liam Kennings, Soft Matter Lab at the University of Rhode Island
Flex Sleeve is a wearable compression device designed for the calf, often referred to as the "second heart" due to its role in aiding blood circulation. Developed in collaboration with URI Soft Matter Lab, this project explores the potential of Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) in creating soft, responsive, and personalized medical wearables.
At the core of this project is a working experiment that mimics human physiology: two LCE strips were wrapped around a water-filled balloon connected to a vertical tube. When heat is applied, the LCEs contract, compressing the balloon and pushing water upward, an analogy for how calf muscles support blood flow back to the heart. This experiment laid the foundation for developing a real-world application of LCE-based actuation in compression therapy.
Why LCEs? These smart materials are soft, stretchable, and can generate thermally-driven actuation within skin-tolerant ranges – approximately 70°C today, with a pathway towards less than 50°C in the future. Their flexibility makes them ideal for wearable applications. When integrated with embedded copper coils and sensors, the LCE actuators provide tailored compression, adapting in real time to the user’s physiological needs to ensure comfort and effectiveness.
Flex Sleeve features:
-
Three LCE actuators along the back of the sleeve, each independently responding to areas needing more or less compression.
-
Smart compression routines are powered by an internal system, allowing users to program timing and intensity based on activity levels—faster compression during ambulation and mobility, and lower-intensity cycles for resting and seated periods.
-
A rechargeable, stretchable battery by J.Flex, designed to move seamlessly with the sleeve and user.
-
Unobtrusive, user-friendly design that eliminates the stigma of traditional medical compression wear that is visually soft, lightweight, and easy to wear using a wrap-around velcro system.
Flex Sleeve merges user-centered design, aesthetics, medical function, and personalized software to deliver a smarter and more personal experience. By tailoring pressure dynamically through sensor feedback and programmable routines, this wearable promotes better circulation, muscle recovery, and everyday comfort.
Previous Next
Back︎︎︎
