The button component is an example of early smart clothing research leading to a patent. The implemented component is a button for wearable use, consisting of temperature measurement electronics and a casing. As it has no controller or similar electronics, it needs to be augmented with an external processor, typically in the fabric where it is attached to.
The size of the component is roughly the size of a button in a winter jacket. It can be used to measure the temperature, and has eight LEDs for display purposes. It is not an independently working prototype, as it requires additional electronics to be useful. Nevertheless, it can be used to demonstrate the functionality of the idea, and is a proof of concept for a patent.
I created the concept and the prototype, as well as co-authored the paper and developed the patent application together with Jaana Hännikäinen (née Rantanen).
[1] Hännikäinen J., Mikkonen J., & Vanhala J., 2005, Button Component Encasing for Wearable Technology Applications, ISWC, Ninth IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC’05) (pp. 204-205)
[2] Mikkonen J., Rantanen J., Järjestelmä galvaanisen yhteyden aikaansaamiseksi ja kappaleiden kiinnittämiseksi. Finnish patent number 115424. Granted 29.4.2005.