Project 03
MycoStrain Sensor
A mycelium-based wearable that senses rotator cuff strain
This project draws inspiration from mycelial networks to construct an external neural layer for the body — one that supports the brain’s blind spots. I developed bio-adaptive materials for monitoring muscle strain by carbonising fungal cultures into a conductive layer and integrating it with a flexible tensile sensor. In parallel, I cultivated fungal leather on soft substrates, so the material provides both cushioning protection and real-time motion monitoring. Through biomaterial experimentation, wearable interaction design and bio-inspired fabrication, the project investigates how biological intelligence can enhance human performance, prevent sports injuries and support long-term health management.
The undiscoverable injury
The rotator cuff muscles — supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis — stabilise the shoulder joint and enable arm rotation and lifting. A rotator cuff strain is significant because of the cuff’s deep location, poor blood supply and crucial role in the joint. Overuse can cause slowly developing tears with no symptoms at all, and evidence shows these injuries usually worsen progressively rather than from a single traumatic event.
A mycelial–muscle network
Mycorrhizal systems are symbiotic partnerships between fungi and plant roots, forming an underground network that exchanges nutrients and signals.
What if a mycelial network connected to human muscle groups — an on-skin “muscle–fungus” network that signals predicted muscle strain?
Integrated with the muscle system, it could protect people who train alone, monitoring and predicting potential rotator cuff injuries in real time and issuing warnings before damage occurs.
Making mycelium conductive
Inspired by Wooltech — a concept that carbonises discarded wool to replace printed circuit boards — I asked whether mycelium, also a fibrous material, could be carbonised to become conductive. An electric probe at 430 °C only carbonised the surface; a blowtorch at about 2000 °C made it conductive. I then varied the burning time:
From brittle to wearable
Both pre-carbonised and carbonised mycelium were extremely rigid, and the carbonised material was fragile — unsuitable for close-to-skin wearables. I began integrating mycelium with textiles; when it detached easily from fabric, I mixed it with cornstarch and alginate for better shaping and stability, producing fully stretchable mycelium sandwiches on elastic fabric in square and wavy patterns.
A second carbonisation round showed the square structures were durable and resistant to carbon loss, while single-layer wavy patterns broke. Group A showed a tiny current; Group B was completely insulating.
A wearable variable resistor
Quick tests with silver paste on a flexible film showed the key factor affecting resistance was the length of the circuit segment. Because the carbonised material was hard and non-stretchable, I tried folding-based circuits, but parallel paths made readings unstable. The final structural reference became the slide rheostat: as the distance L changes, the resistance R changes proportionally.
R = ρ L / A
On the shoulder, a conductive “wiper” at the front of the strap moves across a circuit pattern as the rotator cuff rotates, producing varying resistance.
Layers on the shoulder
The garment has three layers: a mycelium lining that isolates the circuit from the body and adheres to the skin, a film layer carrying the resistance pattern, and conductive probes whose path length changes with shoulder movement. Patterns were traced on female and male models and repatterned around the armpit so they would not interfere with workouts. When the rotator cuff activates, the length of the connected circuit pattern changes; if resistance exceeds a dangerous threshold, a buzzer alerts the wearer.
Growing the final piece
Mycelium was cultivated, shaped into the prototype and iterated to fit the body; circuit patterns were screen-printed with biogel beneath them, and the hardware connected. Even when moulded into a curve, the material kept curving during drying — a challenge for the future.
Tested in the gym
I tested the product in a gym. Two buzzers connect to an Arduino board with a resistance translator and battery; the cathode links to the back and supplies power to the front of the chest, and the anode to the circuit interface. As the wearer moves, the resistance changes — while it stays within the safety zone, the buzzers stay silent.
A garment that grows and heals
In the future, I aim to dissolve the fixed form of the MycoStrain Sensor, repositioning it from a rigid external support to an integrated part of everyday sportswear. When muscle strain occurs, changes in resistance are detected and nutrients for the mycelium are concentrated at the site of the anomaly, redirecting mycelial growth toward the injured area. Once treatment is complete, rubbing the garment breaks down the mycelial structure, allowing the system to reset and begin a new cycle of monitoring.
If materials can learn to understand the body, can the body reclaim control over the rhythm of its own recovery?