New kinetic energy harvesting material is in development

December 9, 2024  |  What's New?

Scientists are working to create a new textile material for the U.S. Navy Seals that will generate kinetic energy (from movement) and temperature changes. Backed by the U.S. Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG). This innovative textile is designed to power communication systems and health monitori…
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Jackets are made from NASA’s rover mission parachutes

November 18, 2024  |  What's New?

Specialty clothing brand Vollebak has made “Martian Aerogel Jackets” from space parachutes that NASA used in its Rover mission on Mars in 2021. The jackets are fabricated using two materials that NASA employed during its missions. The parachute fabric is used for its exterior, while the inside u…
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MIT’s 4D knit dress created by a robot arm

November 11, 2024  |  What's New?

MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab team has developed the 4D Knit Dress, a new way to personalize a dress in any size using a six-axis robot arm (typically used in the automotive industry), computerized knitting, and heat-activated yarns. Led by Sasha MicKinlay, a recent graduate of the MIT Dept. of Ar…
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Innovations on the horizon

October 28, 2024  |  What's New?

In a show floor presentation, textile industry expert and consultant Paige Mullis provided an overview of “Innovations shaping our world.” Her opening question, “Why the Consumer Electronics (CES) show?” launched a review of highlights from the annual event, considering the perspectives of b…
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The well-dressed spacecraft

October 28, 2024  |  What's New?

Juliana Cherston, Ph.D., an emerging technology consultant at the MIT Media Lab, led an Emerging Technologies Conference session about the development and launch of the first electronic textile sensor in space. She also discussed how to create academic partnerships to further textile research and de…
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Apparel design for extreme heat

October 14, 2024  |  What's New?

Konrad Rykaczewski, who spoke at this year’s ATA Emerging Technologies Conference, hails from Arizona State University, the perfect location for his research topic of clothing and human survival in extreme heat. To illustrate the impact of climate change he used the example of temperature changes …
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Vest with soft robots can relieve anxiety

September 18, 2024  |  What's New?

During the recent RIMOWA Design Prize 2024, the winning entry came from Janne Kreimer and her wearable technology, RO. The Anhalt University student of Integrated Design presented a therapeutic smart vest wrapped with small, pod-like soft robots that swell with air when the wearer is anxious. These…
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E-textiles can be electronic musical instruments

September 18, 2024  |  What's New?

Researchers Dr. Sophie Skach and Dr. Victor Shepardson have been doing research into fabrics, as part of their work in the Intelligent Instruments Lab, University of Iceland. Recently, they devised a set of smart fabrics that can produce sounds like musical instruments when people handle them, produ…
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More sustainable coating developed for protective gloves

September 9, 2024  |  What's New?

Protective gloves, such as those used for work, sport or household gardening, get their protective function from a special coating. This coating provides abrasion resistance, makes the material waterproof and resistant to chemicals or oil, and even protects against cuts and punctures.
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Chalk coating could help clothing cool the wearer

August 26, 2024  |  What's New?

Keeping cool on hot days requires wearing the right clothing, as much as wearing less clothing. A new fabric coating, essentially made of chalk, could help make clothing cooler.
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