Smart textile wearables have to look good, too

September 8, 2014  |  Features

Industry experts in the field of smart textiles and wearable technology recognize that functionality may drive the development of a product, but style, fit, comfort and appearance must be taken seriously, too. Style is important in all clothing, says Dr. Lucy Dunne, University of Minnesota. “Howev…
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Advanced fabrics seminar scheduled

August 26, 2014  |  Features

IFAI 2014 Advanced Textiles Expo will host a seminar on current research and innovation in advanced fabrics. Molded polystyrene sheets can be shaped by randomly placed cross cables to produce one-off architectural wall panels at an economical cost, using a process developed by Marc Swackhamer’s d…
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Making electricity where it is needed

August 22, 2014  |  Features

.it th, .it td { border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 5px; } We are finally registering Edison’s statement from around 1880 that electricity should be made where it is needed. Smart fabrics will be successful in this. Whereas Google Glass, the impending Apple iWatch and the like employ familiar rigid …
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Invisibility technologies: where are textiles?

August 11, 2014  |  Features

Technologies seem to get attention in waves, depending on when there is a breakthrough development or when there is little that’s new to report. The challenge with very new technologies is to predict with any accuracy how—much less when—they might be applied and what materials would be used to…
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Rapid growth in wearable electronics and e-textiles is projected

July 23, 2014  |  Features

An overview of wearables markets shows the variety of products available and in development. Wearable technology is the term rocketing to the stars on Google Trends but it is almost entirely about wearable electronics today. This is a large ($14 billion) business for humans and nearly $1 billion for…
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It doesn’t get any cleaner than this

July 9, 2014  |  Features

Textiles are a vital component for maintaining and functioning in cleanroom environments. Textiles play a variety of roles in protecting cleanrooms from contamination, and although many components and processes have remained the same over the years, advances are also being made. Among changes are: a…
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Textiles in cleanrooms: the basics

July 9, 2014  |  Features

Cleanrooms are spaces that maintain low levels of airborne particulate and viable microorganisms; any liquids and gases entering a cleanroom are purified to maintain the cleanliness level. Businesses that operate cleanrooms may include manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, food products,…
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Advanced textiles for architecture

June 9, 2014  |  Features

“Skinning the box” is the main challenge every architect must face; it all comes down to how you do it and with what material. Is the building cladding going to be massive and highly insulated, or is it going to be layer upon layer of thin insulating materials? Will the south and west sides be &…
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Swaths of fabric curtain a hilltop house

June 9, 2014  |  Features

There’s nothing new about using curtains to protect a house from the heat of the sun, but a hilltop home in a suburb of Guatamala City, Guatamala was designed to take this concept to an entirely new level. The “Toledo House” by Chilean firm Assadi + Pulido designed the curved and contemporary …
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A winning solution

June 9, 2014  |  Features

Porte-cochere using Birdair’s ETFE welcomes guests at expanded casino Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, N.Y., selected Birdair Inc., Williamsville, N.Y., to build the porte-cochere to create a welcoming entrance to the casino in conjunction with its $50 million expansion project. The…
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