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Strong growth expected in coated fabrics for the defense market
June 13th, 2018
The coated fabrics for the defense market is growing at a significant pace, a recent report from Future Market Insights says. The market is expected to expand at a 2.9 percent CAGR between 2018 and 2028. The growth is due in large part to the increase of coated fabrics in applications such as personnel-oriented objects […]
Archroma offers new indigo dye for denim
June 12th, 2018
Chemical company Archroma has introduced Denisol Pure Indigo 30, an aniline-free* denim indigo dye. The company reports the new dye provides a nontoxic way to produce the traditional blue that consumers associate with denim. Currently, aniline impurities are an unavoidable element of producing indigo-dyed denim, but with its new product, aniline is locked into the indigo […]
MIT develops pressure-sensing photonic fibers
June 11th, 2018
Compression stockings and bandages are essential elements in the treatment of various medical conditions, and applying the optimal pressure to stimulate blood flow for a given condition is a key to successful treatment. Now a team of MIT engineers led by assistant professor Mathias Kolle has developed pressure-sensing photonic fibers that some day may be […]
Fabric has user-controlled color and pattern function
June 11th, 2018
The College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) announces that it has produced a fabric that allows the user to change the color or pattern of the fabric via smartphone. According to the university, CREOL’s ChroMorphous technology can be applied to large, woven fabrics and cut-and-sewn textile products. Each […]
Rethinking robotics
June 11th, 2018
Soft robotics and exoskeletons offer human-centric solutions. On March 19, 2018, the New York Times ran a headline that said, “Self-Driving Uber Car Kills Pedestrian in Arizona, Where Robots Roam.” Although the science of robotics has made impressive strides, robots are having something of a crisis of identity. For more than a century science fiction […]
Snake skins used in tribology study at Drexel University
June 11th, 2018
A Drexel University professor is studying snakes and their skins to better understand traction and to help engineers improve the design of textured surfaces such as engine cylinder liners, prosthetic joints and even footwear. Hisham Abdel-Aal, Ph.D, an associate teaching professor in Drexel University’s College of Engineering, believes that snakes offer an excellent means to study […]
Sharing the future with robotics
June 11th, 2018
“Robot.” What comes to mind? An R2-D2-type character? Something encased in metal that traverses the terrain in a clearly non-human way? Maybe you picture a sci-fi movie depicting an AI character so smart that it overthrows the human characters in a dramatic coup. Time to rethink that picture in your head and replace it with a […]
Myant and STOLL unveil Digital Textile Factory
June 8th, 2018
STOLL, a German 3D knitting machinery company, and Myant Inc., a Canadian textile computing company, have announced the launch of their Digital Textile Factory. A recent article in Printed Electronics World reports that the collaboration weaves together STOLL's 140-plus years of 3D knitting expertise with Myant's proprietary biometric sensing and actuation technology. The digital factory […]
BRW Kevlar arm guards for worker safety
June 7th, 2018
BRW Safety & Supply announced the restocking of a new line of arm guard made of Kevlar, a recent release says. Kevlar, known for its use in bulletproof vests, is the primary material used in BRW's arm guards. The Kevlar arm guard is intended to protect workers in metal fabrication, construction trades, automotive assembly, glass […]
Paradiddle: a 3D-printed drumming prosthesis
June 6th, 2018
An open-source 3D-printed upper-extremity prosthesis gives drummers who have lost a hand or arm a new way to play. Working with renowned drummer Greg Anton, who lost his left hand, “Paradiddle” designer Dominic Siguang Ma developed unique features that allow the drummer to play intuitively and comfortably. One of Siguang Ma’s main challenges was to design a mechanism that can […]