A group of scientists and engineers have created a novel smart fabric capable of reacting to temperature and electric current variations. According to Life Technology, this advancement may pave the way for the design of innovative wearable devices that can adjust to the user's requirements.
First Smart Fabric to Be Sensitive to Two Stimuli
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a programmable smart fabric that can respond to both electricity and temperature, Phys.org reported.
This innovative design is the first ever to react to two different stimuli and has various potential applications, including clothing that heats up when the wearer is outside in the winter or vehicle bumpers that can regain their original shape following a collision. The smart fabric is made from polymer nano-composite fibers from recycled plastic, which is cost-effective and sustainable.
Moreover, the smart fabric's unique design combines highly-engineered polymer composites with stainless steel in a woven structure, produced using a device similar to a traditional loom. The resulting process is versatile, providing design freedom and control of the fabric's properties on a macro-scale.
When stimuli are applied, the programmable fabric can change its shape and color. It can also be activated by a lower voltage of electricity than previous systems, making it more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
The smart fabric is suitable for use in various fields, including biomedical devices and environmental sensors, due to its lower voltage requirement, enabling it to be integrated into smaller, more portable devices. The use of recycled plastic in its production also makes it environmentally friendly.
Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor of chemical engineering at Waterloo, stated that the smart fabric has limitless potential when used as a wearable material for AI, robotics, and virtual reality games and experiences. He further explained that this could mean the wearer could experience warmth or a physical trigger leading to a more immersive adventure in the virtual world.
Employing the Biomimicry Science
Dr. Kamkar, who heads the Multi-scale Materials Design (MMD) Center at the University of Waterloo, explained that intelligent material came from biomimicry science. The new fabric can sense and react to environmental stimuli, such as temperature, and this can help monitor ecosystems without causing any harm.
As per the Biomimicry Institute, biomimicry science translates nature's strengths into the design involving three elements: Emulate, Ethos, and (Re)Connect. Emulation replicates forms, processes, and natural ecosystems to develop more sustainable and regenerative designs.
Meanwhile, ethos is comprehending the functioning of life and crafting designs that perpetually foster and generate conditions favorable to sustaining life. Lastly, (re)connect means finding value in connecting to one's place on Earth as part of its interconnected systems.
The researchers aim to enhance the shape-memory performance of the fabric to enable its use in robotics applications. Their goal is to create a robot capable of carrying and transferring weight to complete tasks effectively.
They discussed their findings in full in the paper titled "Multi-Stimuli Dually-Responsive Intelligent Woven Structures with Local Programmability for Biomimetic Applications," published in the journal Small.
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