Bringing innovative textiles to market
June 24, 2019
Partnerships all along the supply chain lend critical support in achieving goals. by Marie O’Mahony Rita McGrath, associate professor at Columbia Business School, advises that “change is not the dangerous thing, stability is.” In this second of two articles on innovation, the focus is on factors that can influence the way that
Read MoreWhen innovation succeeds
June 10, 2019
Collaborative, long-term efforts produce successful new products and applications. by Marie O’Mahony The Kjus Hydro_Bot ski jacket is designed for enhanced performance in extreme conditions. It features an individually controlled electronic moisture management system. Photo: Kjus Hydro_Bot . Harvard professor and author of The Innovator’s Dilemma (1997), Clayton M. Christensen,
Read MoreSoft robotics pair with textile technologies
May 20, 2019
New shape memory capabilities have application in several markets. The Wearable Technology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota has been doing research recently in the use of integrated active materials, particularly shape memory materials, used in soft robotics. Photo: UMN Wearable Technology Lab. At last week’s Smart Fabrics Virtual Summit,
Read MoreGrowth meets change in protective textiles
May 20, 2019
Innovating and commercializing to participate in future opportunities. by Seshadri Ramkumar Towelie™ is said to be the first biodegradable oil sorbent technology, functional as a wipe, mat, and a floating sorbent. It was created by engineers and outdoorsmen in the oil and gas industry to reduce the environmental impact of
Read MoreAlmost invisible
May 6, 2019
Protecting the military today requires sophisticated, multifaceted camouflage solutions. by Marie O’Mahony Saab’s Special Operations Tactical Suit (SOTACS) uses a camouflage system that allows stealth operations in hostile environments. The customizable suit has multispectral characteristics and offers cover from a wide range of reconnaissance systems. Photo: © Saab AB. New fabric developments
Read MoreWearables with freedom
April 22, 2019
Movement and health monitoring enters the next generation. Editor’s note: Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) have had a series of breakthroughs in technologies that will improve health and wellness monitoring in smart garments. This article is a compilation of reports on this topic that were released
Read MoreE-textiles in health monitoring
April 8, 2019
AFFOA’s advanced textile fiber embedded with diodes is fine enough to thread a needle. Photo: MIT. The potential, progress and challenges for next generation smart garments. Among the many benefits promised by the smart fabric revolution has been the “consumerization of health care.” Wearables are enabling the remote monitoring of
Read MoreHidden textiles
March 25, 2019
Infrastructure and construction textiles grow in importance and focus on more sustainable alternatives. SCOURLOK and ARMORMAX Engineered Earth Armoring Solutions were used in a shoreline defense system, developed by Propex, to restore a severely eroded streambank along a section of Mountain Creek in Tennessee. Propex won an IFAI International Achievement
Read MoreSmart architecture
March 11, 2019
New forms offer promising small-scale, smart fabric applications. In the RESET Stress Reduction Pods designed by UNSense, three different pods are created with the smallest ‘Intimacy’ for reclining positions, ‘Mind & Body’ for meditation and stretching then ‘Escape’ for multiple positions. Photo: UNSense. The intense focus on IoT as the
Read MoreCommunicating with your attorney
February 25, 2019
Tips for working effectively with your intellectual property counsel. Preparation for meeting with counsel and healthy communication can help maximize an inventor’s intellectual property protections. For example, when seeking patent protection, inventors should always think carefully about the “big picture” benefit offered by their invention and communicate that benefit to
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