Forget the idea of having a coat for the winter and a light jacket for the spring. A new programmable fiber is about to change the way we dress, adapting to weather conditions in real time.
How it works
The fiber, called FibeRobo, was developed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at MIT. It uses a material known as liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) which allows the fiber to contract and expand in response to temperature changes.
In the press review presenting the technology (I link it to you here) MIT researchers point out that fabrics made with FibeRobo can become more insulating when it's cold and more breathable when it's hot.
Practical applications
This isn't just a novelty for clothing. This technology has the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, from post-surgical compression bands to athletic clothing that adapts to your level of physical exertion. Imagine an elastic band that helps blood circulation after surgery, or a t-shirt that tightens and loosens depending on your heart rate during exercise.
The MIT team is excited about the potential future applications of FibeRobo. It is already exploring ways to make the fiber recyclable or biodegradable. Furthermore, the researchers want to simplify the polymer synthesis process so that even users without specific laboratory skills can produce it.
In summary, this fiber could revolutionize the way we dress, but also open up new avenues in sectors such as medicine, sports and even aerospace engineering: a huge step forward in the field of smart fabrics.
The fiber of the future
Creating a fiber like FibeRobo wasn't easy. The researchers had to overcome numerous challenges, from chemical synthesis to large-scale production. They developed a machine with 3D printed and laser-cut parts to overcome manufacturing difficulties, and the result is a fiber that can be produced at a very low cost.
“We use fabrics for everything. We make planes out of fiber-reinforced composites, we cover the International Space Station with radiation-shielding fabric, we use them for personal expression and performance clothing,” he says Jack Forman, lead author of the research. “Much of our environment is adaptive and reactive, but the one thing that needs to be most adaptive and responsive, tissue, is completely inert.”
He is right. That's why I can't wait to see where this innovation takes us.
