Duoskin enables accessible e-tattoos
April 7th, 2017
In her research as an engineer and artist, Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao blends aesthetic and cultural perspectives into the design of on-body electronics. Currently a Ph.D. student at the MIT Media Lab, she is leading a project to make on-skin interfaces accessible to everyone. MIT’s Duoskin is a process that enables anyone with access to a […]
Recycling textiles: every thread counts
April 7th, 2017
According to the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Advancing Sustainable Materials Management Report, out of 16.22 million tons of discarded textiles in 2014 only 2.62 million tons were recycled. According to Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) executive director Jackie King, more than 95 percent of all textiles can be recycled or reused […]
What to do when
April 7th, 2017
Patent law – in fact, understanding the broader topic of intellectual property protection – is complicated and virtually impossible to cover in a single article. But we can point you in a direction and get you started on the right path in a single article, which is exactly what patent lawyer David Crowe has done […]
Geotechnical Frontiers 2017 combines two major events
April 6th, 2017
More than 2100 attendees and 193 exhibitors gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, Fla., March 12-15, for Geotechnical Frontiers 2017, the largest show in the geosynthetics industry. This year’s event combined the annual Geo-Congress and the biennial Geosynthetics Conference into an “super-event” held once every six years. “We had a great show and […]
IT techies foray into technical textiles
April 6th, 2017
In what seems to be a surprising reversal of a trend, some engineers are switching from information technology to the manufacturing sector. Over the past two decades, India has gained a reputation as an IT giant, with its skilled IT engineers spread across the globe. Now two IT engineers have combined skills and place to […]
Growth in reflective materials market projected
April 5th, 2017
According to a new report by Grand View Research Inc., the global value of the reflective materials market is anticipated to reach $31.14 billion by 2025. The study notes rising demand in high-visibility fabric for workplace safety and traffic management. Applications for reflective materials include manufacturing architectural glass, solar panels and windows, as well as a range of apparel […]
Design studio develops new shape-shifting materials
April 4th, 2017
Universal Everything has developed a series of short, pasted-hued films, each featuring a different product idea that the studio describes as “emerging technologies of flexible displays, shape-shifting materials and context-aware functionality.” The films have been used on plates that can display the nutritional makeup of the food placed on them and as architectural pillars that […]
TeXtreme spread tow fabrics for airlines
April 3rd, 2017
HAECO reports that calculation, simulation and manufacturing support reveal the use of TeXtreme may reduce the weight of the company’s airplane seats by 20 percent while maintaining mechanical properties. Reducing weight within planes promises to create savings in fuel costs for airlines. TeXtreme describes the spread tow fabric as an “ultra-lightweight, carbon fiber product.” The […]
Use of smart textiles increases globally
March 31st, 2017
Technological collaborations among companies have contributed to the growth of the global smart and interactive textile market, reports www.fashionatingworld.com. On the basis of the end user, the global market is segmented as: medical, healthcare, military, aerospace, transportation, and others. Developments in newly crafted textiles have led innovators to invent many smart textile applications such as color-changing […]
LEGO-compatible tape introduced
March 30th, 2017
Design studio Nimuno has created a LEGO-compatible tape that turns everyday surfaces into LEGO building surface. The tape, called Nimuno Loops, is flexible, can be cut, and features reusable adhesive backing. Users can build vertically, around wall corners, on curved surfaces or windows, or on the flat surfaces of other LEGO blocks. After more than a year of research […]