Flexible Lightweight Radiation Shielding

An innovator at NASA Langley Research Center has developed a novel method for making thin, lightweight radiation shielding that can be sprayed or melted onto common textiles used in clothing such as cotton, nylon, polyester, Nomex, and Kevlar. Read on to learn more about it.

Future Washable Smart Clothes Powered by Wi-Fi will Monitor Health

Purdue University engineers have developed a method to transform existing cloth items into battery-free wearables resistant to laundering. These smart clothes are powered wirelessly through a flexible, silk-based coil sewn on the textile. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Solar Concentrators

The novel solar concentrators can be applied to textile fibers without the textile becoming brittle and susceptible to cracking or accumulating water vapor in the form of sweat. Read on to learn more.

Smart Glove Can Boost Hand Mobility of Stroke Patients

A new groundbreaking “smart glove” is capable of tracking the hand and finger movements of stroke victims during rehabilitation exercises. The glove incorporates a sophisticated network of highly sensitive sensor yarns and pressure sensors that are woven into a comfortable stretchy fabric. Read on to learn more about the smart glove.

‘Smart’ Coating Could turn Fabrics into Protective Gear

A durable, copper-based coating developed by a team at Dartmouth University can be integrated into fabric to create responsive, reusable materials such as protective equipment, environmental sensors, and smart filters.

A Soft Robotic Gripper Mimics a Woven Structure

Dr. Song Kahye along with Professor Lee, Dae-Young have jointly developed a soft gripper with a woven structure that can grip objects weighing more than 100 kg with 130 g of material. To increase the loading capacity of the soft robot gripper, the team applied a new structure inspired by textiles.

New Programmable Smart Fabric Responds to Temperature, Electricity

A new smart material is activated by both heat and electricity, making it the first ever to respond to two different stimuli. The work paves the way for a wide variety of potential applications, including clothing that warms up while you walk.

Conductive Cellulose Thread Shows Promise for Healthcare Applications

The thermoelectric textile produces a small amount of electricity when heated on one side.

Smart Textiles Powered by Soft Transmission Lines

The fibers measure subtle and complex fabric deformations.

High Atomic Number Coatings for Fabrics

This new approach is useful for building radiation shields via the Z-grading method, the process of layering metal materials with different atomic numbers to provide radiation protection for protons, electrons, and x-rays.

Automated Fabric Circuit and Antenna Fabrication

The technology allows for higher surface conductivity, improved impedance control, expanded design and application potential, and greater choice of materials for optimized performance.

A New Fabrication Process Produces Smart Textiles

By incorporating a special type of plastic yarn and using heat to slightly melt it — a process called thermoforming — the researchers were able to greatly improve the precision of pressure sensors woven into multilayered knit textiles, which they call 3DKnITS.

Material Inspired by Chain Mail Transforms from Flexible to Rigid on Command

Applications include a smart fabric for exoskeletons, an adaptive cast that adjusts its stiffness as an injury heals, or a deployable bridge that could be unrolled and stiffened.

Electronic Textiles Made with Conductive Cellulose Thread

A research team developed a thread made of conductive cellulose that offers practical possibilities for electronic textiles. Sewing the electrically conductive cellulose threads into a...

3D Printing Creates Environmentally Friendly Material Made of Algae

Living materials made by housing biological cells within a nonliving matrix have gained popularity as scientists recognize that often the most robust materials are those that...

Washable, Wearable Battery-Like Devices

Wearable electronic components incorporated directly into fabrics have been developed that could be used for flexible circuits, healthcare monitoring, energy conversion, and other applications. Graphene...

Wearable Microgrid Harvests and Stores Energy from the Human Body

The flexible, washable microgrid uses the human body to sustainably power small electronics.

Sensors Integrated in Clothing Monitor Heart Rate

The device ultimately should be able to provide accurate signals from a person who is walking, running, or climbing stairs.

Ultra-Sensitive, Resilient Sensor for Smart Textiles

The Slinky-like sensor survives washing machines, cars, and hammers.

Woven Nanotube Fibers Turn Heat into Power

Invisibly small nanotubes aligned as fibers and sewn into fabrics can turn heat from the Sun or other sources into energy.

Liquid Metal Coating Creates Effective Antiviral, Antimicrobial Fabric

The coatings eradicated human influenza and coronavirus in five minutes.

Fibers Turn Fabric into Breath-Regulating Garments

These textiles could help performers and athletes train their breathing and potentially help patients recovering from post-surgery breathing changes.

Recycled Cotton Becomes New Fabric

A method converts cotton into sugar, which can be turned into spandex, nylon, or ethanol.

Dyeing Process Gives Textiles Electronic Properties

Textiles and items of clothing can be converted into e-textiles without affecting their original properties.

Smart Displays Show Information Through Fabric

The technology shines through fabrics to show notifications for email messages, time, weather, or other forms of basic information.

Programmable Digital Fiber

The fiber contains memory, temperature sensors, and a trained neural network program for inferring physical activity.

5 Ws of Power-Generating Fibers

Fibers sewn into fabrics can turn heat from the Sun into energy that could power textile electronics.

Sensors Woven into a Shirt can Monitor Vital Signs

Comfortable, form-fitting garments could be used to remotely track patients’ health.

“Smart” Shirt Monitors the Heart

Flexible carbon nanotube fibers woven into clothing gather accurate EKG and heart rate.