U.S. scientists from Yale University have developed a new generation of “robotic fabrics” that could one day change shape and texture either at a command or as a result of an alert provided by built-in sensors. It’s the first time scientists have successfully incorporated sensors and stiffenable-threads into ‘normal’ fabrics, and could give rise to a host of innovative and sci-fi results.
The new technology will allow for the future creation of “smart, adaptable clothing, self-deployable shelters, and lightweight shape-changing machinery”.
The research, which was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, used fibres that either stiffen or relax when exposed to temperature changes, controlled by a wire running through their centre. By combining these stiffenable fibres with sensors, scientists working on the project envision a new kind of robot:
“We envision that the future will bring mass-produced rolls of robotic fabric, available for purchase, and programmable as required to fit varied tasks. Self-reconfiguring machinery made from this material could bend and twist into new and complex shapes as needed and then collapse for compact storage.”
One experiment the team of scientist from Yale focused on in their experiment was creating a fabric that would automatically form into a tourniquet, a device which applies pressure to a limb or extremity in order to limit the flow of blood. That could be used in the military, with a soldier’s clothing automatically responding to an injury detected by sensors. The team describe the experiment in the research as:
“When the fabric is severed . . . the damage is detected as a broken circuit and an emergency response is triggered at the damage site. The fabric will compress and then hold that position without further power expenditure”.
“This type of responsive sleeve could potentially be used as a smart garment in military or exploratory environments, where automatic emergency measures could counteract life-threatening situations if medical aid is not immediately available.”
The new fabrics are, however, still some way away from reaching the point of commercial viability with a number of practical hurdles still to be overcome. Ironing, which would see fibres respond to the change in temperature, and washability are two obvious issues. Losing all feeling in an arm due to the fabric forming a tourniquet if a shirt sleeve is snagged could also be an inconvenience.
The scientists themselves admit there is still work to be done, writing “the added rigidity and bulk of specialised fibres could also make wearable robotic fabrics uncomfortable or difficult to don and doff.”
But once the technology is further refined, the potential is significant, both in terms of application in smart clothing and new kinds of flexible robots that would potentially be able to morph form.