MIT
The fiber contracts in response to an increase in temperature, then self-reverses when the temperature decreases (Source: MIT)
A team of interdisciplinary researchers at the MIT has developed a programmable fiber named FibeRobo, designed to dynamically adjust its shape in response to fluctuating temperatures. This breakthrough in materials science could make it possible for clothing and fabrics to adapt their forms and functions automatically to changes in environmental temperature.
The introduction of FibeRobo comes with the potential to drastically alter the way we think about wardrobe essentials such as the seasonal coat. The new fiber's ability to contract in response to an increase in temperature and reverse the process as the temperature drops signals a future where clothing items could automatically adapt to regulate body warmth.
FibeRobo is not only versatile but also cost-effective and easily incorporated into existing textile manufacturing processes. Its compatibility with weaving looms, embroidery, and industrial knitting machines ensures that it is a highly blendable and adaptive material. The properties of the low-cost fiber enables the design of a wide range of fabrics that possess self-actuating and sensing capabilities to increase adaptive responses.
The functionality of the new fiber is augmented by combining it with conductive threads, which function as heating elements whenever an electric current runs through them. This electro-thermal actuation allows digital control over a textile's form, thus enabling fabric to alter its shape aligning with digital triggers such as readings from a heart rate monitor.
The research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA/USA, was led by Jack Forman, a graduate student affiliated with the Tangible Media Group of the MIT Media Lab, along with faculty from both the MIT and Northeastern University, Boston, MA/USA. The robust discovery of FibeRobo outlines its broad applicability in diverse applications, from performance wear to radiation-shielding fabric, demonstrating the potential for textiles to become more adaptive and responsive.
FibeRobo, a versatile textile fiber, is based on a material known as liquid crystal elastomer (LCE). As the LCE material heats up, it causes the fiber to contract, reverting to its original shape when the heat dissipates. The fabrication process of the new fiber involves several steps to achieve the desired properties, including the ability to actuate at skin-safe temperatures for wearable fabrics. It can contract by up to 40% without bending and is safe for application against the skin. It holds promise for a multitude of applications as demonstrated by the MIT researchers, who used it to design an adaptive sports bra that tightens with increased physical activity and a comforting compression jacket for pets that actuates on receiving Bluetooth signals.
Efforts to improve the properties of FibeRobo for future applications include adjustments in its chemical components to enhance recyclability and biodegradability. Streamlining the polymer synthesis process to make it more accessible to users without wet lab expertise is also being explored.
