In this paper, we present a new mobile wireless communication platform for real-time monitoring of an individual's breathing rate. The platform takes the form of a wearable stretching T-shirt featuring a sensor and a detection base station. The sensor is formed by a spiral-shaped antenna made from a multi-material fiber connected to a compact transmitter. Based on the resonance frequency of the antenna at approximately 2.4 GHz, the breathing sensor relies on its Bluetooth transmitter. The contactless and non-invasive sensor is designed without compromising the user's comfort. The sensing mechanism of the system is based on the detection of the signal amplitude transmitted wirelessly by the sensor, which is found to be sensitive to strain. We demonstrate the capability of the platform to detect the breathing rates of four male volunteers who are not in movement. The breathing pattern is obtained through the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) which is filtered and analyzed with home-made algorithms in the portable system. Numerical simulations of human breath are performed to support the experimental detection, and both results are in a good agreement. Slow, fast, regular, irregular, and shallow breathing types are successfully recorded within a frequency interval of 0.16-1.2 Hz, leading to a breathing rate varying from 10 to 72 breaths per minute.
Keywords: human breath monitoring; multi-material fibers; smart textile; wearable system.