Japanese apparel startup Xenoma Inc. got its start from the confines of the University of Tokyo. Presently, it develops a wide range of products, particularly, embedded wearable sensor devices. Part of the company's development efforts include suits that make use of electric muscle stimulation that not only strengthens muscles but also increases their motion effects. JAE is working with Xenoma to develop connectors for commercialization.
In this article, Mr. Masao Nakajima, co-founder and CPO at Xenoma, and Mr. Akihiro Matsunaga of JAE's Connector Division, discussed the initiatives and outlook in developing the product.
2023/10/31
JAE and Xenoma Collaborate on Smart Textile Connector Development
RK01 Series
Formidable Partnership
Matsunaga: JAE and Xenoma solidified a partnership during a tradeshow both companies attended. Smart apparel made of conductive-fiber-based textiles realizes high sensing levels that would be difficult to achieve in smartwatches. We reckon that in the future, the market for these products will further expand, especially in the area of preventive healthcare. Our efforts toward smart textiles began around 2016. Although we had known Xenoma through mass media, our encounter at your exhibition booth paved the way for our collaboration.
Nakajima: Xenoma has been developing smart apparel that uses stretchable wiring, developed at the University of Tokyo, and has considered commercializing suits capable of generating electrical stimuli. However, this requires a high level of connection reliability with the stretchable wiring to ensure a safe and stable operation. Furthermore, we needed reliable connectors that would withstand extreme conditions such as washing machines. As electricity runs through these connectors, accidents must be completely avoided. What’s more, because it was difficult to produce them in-house, we believe JAE is the most suitable partner we can have.
Speed and Constant Planning
Matsunaga: Although our connectors had earned a good reputation among our customers, we had yet to mass-produce washable connectors. In addition, Xenoma approached us in the spring of 2019 with the goal to complete the development and begin selling the product by the end of the year. The JAE team was amazed by the speed with which Xenoma required us to develop a new connector.
Nakajima: Because I have worked with a large corporation before founding the start-up, I understand that time is needed in product development. Nonetheless, I was grateful for JAE’s quick response. Washing the smart apparel will not only expose the connector to forces of a washing machine, but also to strong agents such as detergent soap, flocs, and other undesirable elements. Xenoma asked JAE to develop a connector that meets the extreme scenarios of usage and resist deterioration.
Matsunaga: Teams from Xenoma and JAE were meeting regularly and discussing ways to improve the connector. As the connector was to be assembled by workers on the production line of an apparel factory, it had to be product that they could easily assemble. JAE repeated trial production and invited members of Xenoma’s team to the test production line for possible suggestions in the assembly process. Moreover, to circumvent the long lead time required to make molds for custom-made plastic components, JAE adjusted specifications while producing machined prototype samples and assessing them together.
After several trial and error attempts, JAE was able to mass-produce the RK01 Series washable connector for smart textiles.
Nakajima: There have been thorough meetings, mostly every week. JAE formed a dedicated team for this project. That team racked their brain about structure and other features in various ways.
Making The Most Out of JAE’s Proprietary Technology
Matsunaga: In order to enhance miniaturization and improve operability, several contacts must be integrated in a rigid plastic housing. The challenge to realizing this concept is that tolerances in mounting accuracy of components have to be considered during assembly. Therefore, if a connector is manufactured with such tolerances unaccounted for the mating of connectors becomes impossible as the centers of contacts are not aligned. We solved this problem by using a proprietary floating mechanism on the receptacle side so that positional tolerances could be absorbed.
As a result, the connector can be easily snapped on and off even if it has several contacts. Because it adopts a snap button type mechanism, which is widely recognized among apparel products, RK01 is an easy-to-handle connector that can be intuitively operated by anyone user. In order to guarantee reliability of contact with conductive textiles, the connector was designed so that it would not easily be affected by variations in the accuracy of assembly by employing JAE’s unique wiring structure for which we had already developed elemental technologies. In addition, the connector design ensured long-term reliability that enabled it to pass environmental tests such as temperature and humidity tests. Therefore, RK01 realized contact reliability that had been difficult to achieve with the conventional snap button type connector.
Figure: Comparison of contact reliability when positional gaps occur
Nakajima: Using this, it has been possible to obtain electrocardiogram and electromyogram data, respiration data, bioelectrical impedance, and motion sensing data in a reliable manner. Looking at the possibilities of future applications, Xenoma was grateful that the connector could be customized by the type of material, the number of poles, and other elements for smart textiles.
Because of your efforts, the completed product has been well received by users, and there has been not one single complaint about defects caused by the connector.
Anticipates Further Development, Including Miniaturization and Multifunctionality
Matsunaga: JAE is pleased and grateful to hear that the connector is highly regarded by customers for its quality. By the way, please tell me about the concept of the e-skin EMStyle suit.
Nakajima: By wearing an e-skin EMStyle suit and applying electrical stimuli to muscles in 24 locations on the body for 20 minutes, the body can get the same effect as that gained from a full workout. As the suit applies a load to muscles, even a 20-minute exercise would cause muscle pain. The e-skin EMStyle suit is used by members of a distinguished sports club, and by linking the product with smartphone applications for individuals, we also provide a service that enables users to enjoy online personal training at home.
Matsunaga: The challenge for future smart apparel is to embed more sensors and wires while ensuring connection stability. It is important to not only make smart apparel washable, but also, from a safety perspective, enable wearers to easily put them on and take them off so that they can stop electricity from flowing from the built-in batteries by removing the modules easily and swiftly when some abnormality is detected in wearable products such as the e-skin EMStyle suit. We hope that by meeting these requests, this RK01 Series will contribute to making smart apparel products smaller and highly functional through multiple-pole support, easy operability, and high connection reliability.
Nakajima: We have set up a booth at exhibitions together and hope that we can continue to work hand in hand to develop new products in the years to come.
Matsunaga: The cutting-edge technology and agile development efforts of start-ups are a source of motivation for us. Your cooperation and support would be appreciated.
Download The Custom Development Process for Smart Textile Connector
Please refer to this downloadable document for RK01 series custom development process details.
Subject to change without notice. Errors and omission excepted.