New inks make it possible to draw stretchable LEDs

September 11, 2023  |  Out There

Although we're hearing more about stretchable electronics, the fabrication of such devices' components is far beyond most people's abilities. Now, however, scientists have created inks that let anyone draw stretchable LEDs onto various surfaces, including fabric, using regular ballpoint pens.
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Streetwear is made from preserved seaweed 

June 12, 2023  |  Out There

Inside The Reykjavik EDITION hotel in Iceland, fashion designers Tanguy Mélinand and Drífa Líftóra unveiled their collection of clothes stitched from harvested and preserved Icelandic seaweed. The designers collaborated with SEAWEEDWORKS, a project founded by creative director Charlie Stran…
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Biomimetic soft “seed robot” can navigate through soil

May 8, 2023  |  Out There

Researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genova have created what they say is the first 4D-printed, biomimetic, biodegradable, soft robot that changes shape in response to humidity and can navigate through soil. The researchers say the device has great potential as a new means of monit…
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Zebra stripes inspire smart, wearable electricity source

April 24, 2023  |  Out There

The zebra’s distinctive appearance has been the source of much scientific debate, from its role in predator confusion, to how it can deter horsefly bites. More recently, it was found that the animals can raise the fur of their black segments to transfer heat away from the skin for temperature …
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Re-defining soft robotics with self-healing, conductive gel

April 10, 2023  |  Out There

A new material could help produce self-healing and conductive robotic devices that are also soft. Developed by a team of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University, the substance consists of a gelatinous polyvinyl alcohol-sodium borate base, embedded in which are silver microflakes and gallium-based l…
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Columbia U. researcher turns soil into textiles

March 27, 2023  |  Out There

Researchers at Columbia University have succeeded in creating a fabric that’s made from at least 60 percent dirt. Penmai Chongtoua, working with Columbia’s Natural Materials Lab director Prof. Lola Ben-Alon, began to explore the possibility of wearing “earth.”
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NEWFACET turns to AI for garment design concept

January 9, 2023  |  Out There

Bridging the evolving leaps and bounds in technology with garment design, NEWFACET offers an innovative initiative imagining a conceptual clothing campaign. The designer makes use of an artificial intelligence (AI) program to explore ways of optimizing workflow and creative processes in visualizi…
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Designers launch bullet-resistant loungewear 

November 28, 2022  |  Out There

Designer duo Tian Wang and Teague Miller have launched “Kickback,” a line of bullet-resistant loungewear and accessories prompted by the more than 100 firearm fatalities a day in the U.S. Hand-crafted from heavy duty Kevlar©, the ‘Kickback’ bathrobes are lined with bulletproof body plates, …
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Designer grows biodesigns from grass root

November 14, 2022  |  Out There

Zena Holloway has launched a collection of biodesigns grown entirely from grass root. The London-based designer and multi-disciplinary artist is exploring the possibilities for root-grown textiles for fashions that are sustainable and compostable. In essence, Holloway is turning grass root into wear…
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Thermal camouflage jacket uses graphene patches

October 10, 2022  |  Out There

The jacket is made with 42 patches of graphene, individually controlled via microcomputer to emit different levels of thermal radiation without any change to their actual temperature. Programming the patches to have the same level of thermal radiation as their surroundings makes them appear “invi…
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