Wearable Intelligence (Master’s Degree)
Field of studies
- Mechanical Engineering
- Robotics
- Technology and Traffic
Degree title
- Master of Engineering
Registration period
- Direct Application 2025, Master's
Teaching language
- English
Type of education
- Master’s Degree
Academic level
- Master Level Studies - EQF 7
Campuses
- Hämeenlinna
- Online
Teaching format
- Multiform Learning
Transform the smart future with intelligent wearables.
Wearable Intelligence programme is the first International Master's Degree Programme in the field of Wearable Intelligence including Smart Textiles and Exoskeleton Robotics organized by three Fenno-Scandinavian Universities. The market for wearable technology, including wearable intelligence devices and smart textiles, has evolved significantly over the last ten years. Modern society and industry are seeking intelligent wearable solutions to support people physically, mentally, and socially.
Objective
In this programme you gain insight into wearable technology such as smart textiles and exoskeleton robotics, and you have the opportunity to become an expert in this field. You learn to design and innovate new textile processes and understand how to embed technology into garments. You learn to innovate and design wearable and intelligent products and understand the design principles from the user’s functional, emotional, and social perspectives. In addition, you understand the principles of platform economy and marketing in commercializing your product. You learn to innovate and design human-robot systems. You also learn to understand how to use design control systems in wearable and soft robotics.
Qualification provided by education
You will gain the skills to design novel smart textiles and exoskeletons. You will be able to work in demanding expert, development, planning, and management positions related to wearable intelligence, both in domestic and international business environments.
A master’s degree qualifies you for positions that require a higher education degree. The degree is a fully recognized university degree in Finland as well as abroad, and upon completion provides you with the eligibility to apply for a doctoral degree.
Structure of studies
This program provides you up-to-date knowledge on smart textiles design and fabrication, embedded textile electronics, biosensors, AI-based software control of wearable robots, wearable sensor data processing, biodata handling and analysis, as well as kinematic, dynamic, and neuromechanic models of wearable robots and exoskeletons. The program also introduces the basics of human anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. During your studies, you engage in hands-on projects to develop your own wearable innovations, supported by academia, business, and industry partners. You will be a part of a diverse and international student team. Throughout your studies, you will advance your expertise and build connections with potential employers in Scandinavia and Europe.
The aimed course load is 90 ECTS, which consists of 60 ECTS profiling studies and 30 ECTS master's thesis. Profiling studies consist of the following five modules:
- Changing Operational Environment and Research-based Development 10 ECTS (The module is designed and implemented by HAMK)
- Wearable Intelligence and Biosensors in Human Performance 11,5 ECTS (The module is designed and implemented by HAMK)
- Introduction to Smart Textiles 10 ECTS (The module is designed and implemented by Borås)
- Smart Textile Product Development 13,5 ECTS (The module is designed and implemented by Borås)
- Embodied AI 15 ECTS (The module is designed and implemented by SDU)
A master's thesis (30 credits) is a research-based development task on a topic suitable for the degree programme and is based on both theoretical and work-based knowledge. Your thesis aims at solving a question or challenge arising from the world of work, and it is based on research-based development activities. You can complete your thesis work in your work organisation, for example. You will implement the study independently as a work-based project for which you will receive guidance from experienced thesis supervisors. The thesis process includes planning, interim and final seminars, which are carried out online. For theses completed at HAMK, see the Theseus.fi publication archive.
Study Methods
Part-time Studies,
Onsite and Online Learning
Studies are implemented as multiform concept where you will study weekly onsite at HAMK University in Hämeenlinna (Finland) and have an exchange study period in Borås (Sweden) during the fall 2026 (approx. 2 months). There is also an opportunity to organize a study visit to University SDU (Denmark) during your studies. You will also engage in online learning independently and collaborate with a small research group as part of the education program. Note! We will refine the description of the study method by the beginning of December 2024.
Wearable Intelligence is a joint programme with three universities
Studies tailored to you
Your degree consists of 90 credits and includes two core elements:
Profiling studies offer you the opportunity to expand, deepen and supplement your professional competences and enable you to achieve your personal development goals.
A Master’s thesis is a research or development project started at the beginning of your studies, which demonstrates your ability to work independently and perform demanding expert tasks. The thesis is a total of 30 credits, and you will choose the thesis topic based on your interest and career plans. The thesis topic must be suitable for the content of the degree programme. You can do the thesis for your own workplace, for various research and development projects, for the development of your own business or for other areas of working life development.
Explore more about the content of the program and learn about planning your studies at HAMK:
Frequently asked questions: application process
Application period (Direct Application) starts 16th December 2024 ends 31st January 2025 at 3.00 pm (Finnish time). You can fill in the application form during the application period on the Studyinfo website (opintopolku.fi).
Unfortunately, college level degree or vocational higher education degree does not give you the eligibility for apply to master’s degree programme at HAMK.
All matters related to immigration to Finland are administrated through Finnish Immigration Services MIGRI.
See the admission criteria from the Studyinfo website. Note! Admission criteria will be published in November 2024 at the latest. Your eligibility will be checked during the application process based on your degree and work certificates which you have added to the application. If you are unsure of your eligibility and want more information, please contact our admission services.
The pre-assignment to this programme will be published 15th November 2024 at the latest. Please, familiarize yourself with the pre-assignment instructions. We recommend you start doing the pre-assignment well before the application period starts or at the beginning of the application period at the latest so that you have enough time to write it.
Want to ask more?
If you need more information about applying to this programme, please visit here:
Frequently asked questions: studying
One credit (1 ECTS) means about 27 hours of work by the student. You should reserve time for studying every week. It is important to consider in advance do you have time to study. For example, changing job, another place of study or family addition may cause challenges for studies.
With master’s degree you can deepen and broaden your competence. A master’s degree qualifies you for positions that require a higher education degree.
You don’t have to be employed to be able to study. But being at work can support master’s studies because with the studies you can develop your own competences or the processes of your own work organization. Master’s degree studies can give you an opportunity to move towards new careers.
Studying alongside work is possible. It requires you to plan your own time use because it is necessary to set aside time for studies every week. Please check out more detailed information about the programme schedule from the website (Timing of the studies).
No, you can’t complete you studies completely online. Studies are implemented as multiform concept where you will study weekly onsite at HAMK University in Hämeenlinna (Finland). The programme also includes online learning independently and together with a small research group.
You can’t get credit transfers based on your bachelor level studies (university or university of applied sciences). Please discuss with your guidance counsellor about the previously completed studies before applying for the credit transfer.
Please, familiarize yourself with HAMK’s instructions.
You have an exchange study period in Borås (Sweden) during the second fall (approx. 2 months).
If you are not a Finnish citizen and have come to Finland for study purposes, the general rule is that you cannot get financial aid from Finland. However, you may qualify for financial aid if you meet the requirements listed Kela’s website. Please read more on Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) website.
3 reasons why to study in Wearable Intelligence!
The exoskeleton robotics market is steadily expanding and is projected to reach USD 16.0 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.50% during the forecast period (2023–2032).
This master’s program introduces smart textiles and equips you with new knowledge for integrating textiles into exoskeletons and other wearable devices.
Both Society 5.0 and Industry 5.0 emphasize collaboration between humans and machines, taking a human-centric approach that leverages artificial intelligence, robotics, and human creativity. This master’s program focuses on the core topics of both Society 5.0 and Industry 5.0.
Get to know our professors
Kimmo Vänni
I work as a Principal Research Scientist in HAMK University of Applied Sciences. I have worked more than 20 years in academia as a lecturer, research manager and development manager. I have also worked in the private sector as a consultant and an entrepreneur. I have Ph.D degree in occupational health and I also hold B.Sc and M.Sc in engineering, a M.Sc in well-being technology (biomechanics) and an EMBA in international business. During the thirty years, I have carried out various RDI projects including productivity, technostress, social robotics, virtual reality, computer game and biomechanics domains. Currently I’m researching digital stress and wearable exoskeleton robotics.
Emanuel Gunnarsson
I work as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Textile Technology in University of Borås (Sweden). I teach, among other things, textile mechanics, textile electronics, smart textiles and testing technology. I am involved in two research groups: Textiles and wearable sensors for P-health; Advanced textile structures. The research behind my doctoral thesis is conducted within Textiles and wearable sensors for P-health.
In my thesis, I partly describe how to best characterize the skin-electrode impedance (the electrical resistance between a textile electrode and the human skin) and show how to manufacture a functional garment with built-in sensors in only two manufacturing steps: a jersey manufacturing step and a sewing step.
My research interests include: how do we best characterize electrically conductive textiles? How do production parameters affect the interface between a conductive textile and the human body? How can we manufacture smart textiles without specially built machines?
Another important aspect is the life expectancy and sustainability aspects of smart textiles: how well can smart textiles withstand the stresses during use? Can we use sustainable fibers without sacrificing the functionality and robustness of smart textiles?
Xiaofeng Xiong
I work as an Associate Professor at Biorobotics Section in University of Southern Denmark (SDU). I have a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, University of Göttingen, Germany. After Ph.D., I was a postdoc in Göttingen medical center and Hamburg University, respectively. My research focuses on bio-inspired robot control, neuromechanical modeling and control, variable impedance control, wearable robotics, and robot-inspired biology. The research results have been published in IEEE Trans. Cybernetics, Industrial Electronics, and Neural Networks, as well as awarded 4 international prizes such as Robot Innovation Award. I’m a PI of two EU and five Danish grants, and an Associate Editor of the journal Adaptive Behavior and conference IEEE RoboSoft 2023.
Latest news
Campus
As a student of Wearable Intelligence programme, your home campus will be Hämeenlinna University Centre.
Hämeenlinna University Centre
Our evolving, growing, and modern main campus, Hämeenlinna University Centre, brings together thousands of students and hundreds of employees. Across the expansive campus area, there are versatile facilities and services for studies across various fields as well as for research work.
The Hämeenlinna campus offers around 30 degree programs and serves as the home campus for all of HAMK’s research units. Additionally, the university center provides excellent facilities for organizing various events for both internal and external participants, resulting in frequent activity and bustling events on campus.
Studying in Finland
Finland is a great place to study! Here are some information for international applicants:
Graduate faster?
Are you already familiar with the field by previous higher education studies and have gained expertise through work? For students who are intepended learnerns and have great studying skills, we offer opportunities alongside traditional degree studies that allow you to accelerate your degree progress.
24 / 7 – Fast tract for studies
Progressing your master studies faster requires you to have competences acquired prior to the studies and they should correspond to the competence objectives of the courses. Recognition of prior learning can be applied for either through credit transfer or skills demonstrations. If you are planning to accelerate your studies, please contact your guidance counsellor.
Read more about HAMK’s 24/7 -study mode:
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At HAMK, we develop new, innovative ways of study. Our goal is to provide you with versatile expertise that you can develop in various directions. We hope to inspire you to try something completely new!
RUN-EU studies
HAMK is part of the RUN-Europe University, comprised of nine European universities. You can leverage the fantastic opportunities provided by RUN Europe University for accumulating international study experiences!
Exchange Studies
Exchange studies are a unique opportunity to explore the world. We encourage all our students to seize the chance and go abroad for an exchange. Will you go too?
HAMK’s Study Selection
We offer you a wide range of studies that you can choose as part of your degree. You can also select modules from other degrees at HAMK. Or why not utilize the expertise you’ve gained previously, for example, from scouting!
Cross-Institutional Studies
As a student at HAMK, you have the opportunity to take courses at other universities as well! It’s called cross-institutional studying, aiming to allow you to study comprehensive units that support your own goals.