Pressure-point-garments: haptic stimulation of the body enabled through a fashionable 3D-textile interface

Dominique Almendariz; Nikolaj Munk Nielsen; Laura Deschl

doi:10.25367/cdatp.2023.4.p201-212

Authors

Dominique Almendariz trykk. Startup, Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1422-4406
Nikolaj Munk Nielsen Laura Deschl – UX Design & Research, Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1438-3953
Laura Deschl trykk. Startup, Berlin, Germany; Laura Deschl – UX Design & Research, Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6992-1569

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25367/cdatp.2023.4.p201-212

Keywords:

industrial knitting, biomechanics, acupressure, manual therapy, functional clothing, textile-body interface

Abstract

Developments in textile and fiber engineering have allowed the development of functional clothing such as protective wear, sportswear, and medical clothing. Stimulating pressure points on the skin has a wide range of applications in manual therapy – both to eliminate functional disorders in the musculoskeletal system and to relieve pain. An acupressure-like effect can be achieved when the practitioner or the person pressures the skin with the thumb on specific pressure-points on the body. So far, there have not been any product solutions which combine (full)-body garments with an acupressure-like effect. Understanding textiles as a grid which holds pressure balls in place and making use of fiber and textile technologies for industrial knitting has enabled “trykk.” to develop four pressure-point-garments with different textile variables. The purpose of the garment is to substitute the mechanical stimulation of the acupressure-like thumb on the skin through a patent-pending 3-dimensional textile-body interface which consists of a flexible textile grid and small marble-sized semi-precious stone balls. This paper describes a study set-up where the four prototypes in five different haptic use-scenarios are compared to the average force applied in an acupressure-like intervention. Besides, data of the likeability (satisfaction) regarding the four distinctive textiles were obtained. Results demonstrated a comparable performance of the prototypes in four out of five use case scenarios. Textile variables significantly altered users’ interest in the garments, yet had no significant effect on the technical performance and the perceived intensity of stimulation.

References

Kim, H. E. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Its Application for Fashion Design. International Journal of Costume and Fashion 2009, 9 (2), 35–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7233/ijcf.2009.9.2.035.

Rajan, A. P.; Mulay, A. V.; Ahuja, B. B. An Automated Acupressure Glove for Stress and Pain Relief Using 3D Printing. In Advances in 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing Technologies; Wimpenny, D. I.; Pandey, P. M:; Kumar, L. J., Eds.; Springer Nature, 2016, pp. 155–167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0812-2_14.

Kraemer, W. J.; Flanagan, S. D.; Comstock, B. A.; Fragala, M. S.; Earp, J. E.; Dunn-Lewis, C.; Ho, J.-Y.; Thomas, G. A.; Solomon-Hill, G.; Penwell, Z. R.; Powell, M. D.; Wolf, M. R.; Volek, J. S.; Denegar, C. R.; Maresh, C. M. Effects of a Whole Body Compression Garment on Markers of Recovery after a Heavy Resistance Workout in Men and Women. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2010, 24 (3), 804–814. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181d33025.

Abu, N. A.; Norasikin, M. A.; Maksom, Z. An interactive 3D acupressure model for self-treatment in reducing pain. Jurnal Teknologi 2015, 77 (19), 97-105. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v77.6536.

Liu, L.; Skinner, M. A.; McDonough, S. M.; Baxter, G. D. Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Myofascial Trigger Needling: The Same Stimulation Points? Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2016, 26, 28–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2016.02.013.

Wright, L. D. The Use of Motion Sickness Bands to Control Nausea and Vomiting in a Group of Hospice Patients. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine 2005, 22 (1), 49–53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/104990910502200111.

Myers, T. W. Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. Elsevier, 2013

Hou, C.-R.; Tsai, L.-C.; Cheng, K.-F.; Chung, K.-C.; Hong, C.-Z. Immediate Effects of Various Physical Therapeutic Modalities on Cervical Myofascial Pain and Trigger-Point Sensitivity. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2002, 83 (10), 1406–1414. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1053/apmr.2002.34834.

Moraska, A. F.; Hickner, R. C.; Kohrt, W. M.; Brewer, A. Changes in Blood Flow and Cellular Metabolism at a Myofascial Trigger Point with Trigger Point Release (Ischemic Compression): A Proof-of-Principle Pilot Study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2013, 94 (1), 196–200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2012.08.216.

Sarrafzadeh, J.; Ahmadi, A.; Yassin, M. The Effects of Pressure Release, Phonophoresis of Hydrocortisone, and Ultrasound on Upper Trapezius Latent Myofascial Trigger Point. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2012, 93 (1), 72–77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2011.08.001.

Schroeder, A. N.; Best, T. M. Is Self Myofascial Release an Effective Preexercise and Recovery Strategy? A Literature Review. Current Sports Medicine Reports 2015, 14 (3), 200–208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1249/jsr.0000000000000148.

Simons, D. G. New Views of Myofascial Trigger Points: Etiology and Diagnosis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2008, 89 (1), 157–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2007.11.016.

Simons, D. G.; Travell, J. G.; Simons, L. S. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, Volume 1. Upper Half of Body, Second Edition. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s1098-7339(99)90123-2.

Ge, H.-Y.; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C.; Madeleine, P.; Arendt-Nielsen, L. Topographical Mapping and Mechanical Pain Sensitivity of Myofascial Trigger Points in the Infraspinatus Muscle. European Journal of Pain 2008, 12 (7), 859–865. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.12.005.

Simons, D. G. New Aspects of Myofascial Trigger Points: Etiological and Clinical. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain 2004, 12 (3-4), 15–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/j094v12n03_03.

Grunwald, M. Homo Hapticus; Droemer eBook, 2017.

Steele, N. M.; French, J.; Gatherer-Boyles, J.; Newman, S.; Leclaire, S. Effect of Acupressure by Sea-Bands on Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing 2001, 30 (1), 61–70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2001.tb01522.x.

Taylor, D.; Miaskowski, C.; Kohn, J. A Randomized Clinical Trial of the Effectiveness of an Acupressure Device (Relief Brief) for Managing Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2002, 8 (3), 357–370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/10755530260128050.

Kapil, A.; Moinuddin, S. Q.; Sharma, A. Digitization of welding processes. In Joining Processes for Dissimular and Advanced Materials, Woodhead Publishing Reviews: Mechanical Engineering Series, 2022; pp. 483-512. DOI: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323853996000205.

Maayah, M. F.; Al-Jarrah, M. D.; Zahrani, S. S. E.; Alzahrani, A. H.; Ahmedv, E. T.; Abdel-Aziem, A. A.; Lakshmanan, G.; Almawajdeh, N. A.; Alsufiany, M. B.; Asi, Y. O. M. A. Test-Retest Strength Reliability of the Electronic Push/Pull Dynamometer (EPPD) in the Measurement of the Quadriceps and Hamstring Muscles on a New Chair. Open Journal of Internal Medicine 2012, 2 (2), 123–128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojim.2012.22022.

Yang, M.-H.; Wu, S.-C.; Lin, J.-G.; Lin, L.-C. The Efficacy of Acupressure for Decreasing Agitated Behaviour in Dementia: A Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2007, 16 (2), 308–315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01428.x.

Joshi, A.; Kale, S.; Chandel, S.; Pal, D. Likert Scale: Explored and Explained. British Journal of Applied Science & Technology 2015, 7 (4), 396–403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/bjast/2015/14975.

Parker, C.; Scott, S.; Geddes, A.; Atkinson, P.; Delamont, S.; Cernat, A.; Sakshaug, J. W.; Williams, R. A. Snowball Sampling; SAGE Publications Ltd.: London, 2020.

Lexicon of Design Research. http://www.lexiconofdesignresearch.com/manifesto (accessed 2023 -01 -06).

Priebe, M.; Foo, E.; Holschuh, B. Shape Memory Alloy Haptic Compression Garment for Media Augmentation in Virtual Reality Environment. Adjunct Publication of the 33rd Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3379350.3416177.

Wakeling, I.; Macfie, H. Designing Consumer Trials Balanced for First and Higher Orders of Carry-over Effect When Only a Subset of k Samples from t May Be Tested. Food Quality and Preference 1995, 6, 299-308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0950-3293(95)00032-1.

A Manual of Acupuncture. A Manual of Acupuncture. https://amanualofacupuncture.com/.