October 11, 2021
New energy harvesting technologies show promise for successful commercialization. by Marie O’Mahony, Ph.D. Power and efficiency are not the only drivers of energy harvesting technology for e-textiles. Bulk, weight, flexibility, sustainability, ease of integration and scalability by no means complete the list, either. This is directing R&D in some spectacularly different directions, which in turn …
September 27, 2021
Material advances: the next phase by Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its mutating variants, continues to rage worldwide, but it’s not the only pressing global issue. Climate change, too, has impacted nature and contributed to catastrophic fires and floods, and impacted our natural world in other concerning ways. According to the U.S. Environmental …
September 13, 2021
New treatments for textiles support the effort to contain the pandemic. by Debra Cobb While prosperous countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. are successfully vaccinating large numbers of their populations against the COVID-19 virus, the majority of the world’s inhabitants are still not vaccinated and remain at great risk for contracting the disease. …
August 23, 2021
Understanding the processes, procedures and proposals in U.S. military contracting. by Bill Sismour When Dorothy was told in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, “Follow the yellow brick road,” it helped her navigate an unfamiliar territory to see the Wizard and eventually return her home. Government contracting, at first glance, may appear as unfamiliar as the …
August 9, 2021
New technologies in anti-ballistics are just beginning to emerge, offering opportunities in this protection market. by Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D. As tensions and danger prevail in many parts of the world, ballistic protection technologies are an important and integral part of countermeasures to threats. This segment within the advanced textiles sector is a growing market due …
July 26, 2021
Plant growth and burrowing animals inspire breakthrough technology. by Janet Preus Soft robotics have received deserved attention lately, and ongoing research is demonstrating real progress in this science, particularly when used in exoskeletons. Mobile robots that can climb, fly or even swim have also had quite a lot of attention, but robots that can burrow …
July 12, 2021
New fibers and composite technologies offer high-tech solutions in Space exploration. by Marie O’Mahony In Space, from the needs of humans to rocket engines, advanced textiles are providing some of the most effective solutions in performance and protection. However, to focus on spotting “the next Aerogel” is to risk missing where the real progress is …
June 28, 2021
Advanced textiles that support energy conservation fill a growing need. by Seshadri Ramkumar While it upended normal activities, COVID-19 has provided opportunities to think about what is best for our future globally, in terms of health planning, climate change, energy infrastructure and inclusive economic growth. Textile materials are important components of the energy and sustainability …
June 14, 2021
European collaborations lead the way in sustainable wind energy production. by Marie O’Mahony The Biden administration is wasting little time putting plans in place to achieve the goal of a carbon-free energy sector by 2035. Offshore wind energy is an important part of a vision that seeks to combine environmental, employment and industrial benefits. Danish companies …
May 24, 2021
Material and design improvements offer better head protection in sports activities. By Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., and Janet Preus According to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), about 1.6–3.8 million concussion cases arise every year due to sports and related activities. These are caused by impact or hard blows to the head. According to AAN, helmets …
