dressware_project_material_research [the libarynth]

Smart Textiles Research

SmartWearLab at Tampere University of Technology, Finland http://www.swl.tut.fi/swl.php?page=home Their projects include: FIBRES ++ TEXTILE STRUCTURES HEALTH CARE ++ WORK WEAR HIGH PERFORMANCE CLOTHING PHYSIOLOGY ++ COMMUNICATIONS ULTIMATE SUIT ++ SMART HOME

see also Thermal and Companies and Contacts sections below

The Department of Textile Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (India) http://www.iitd.ac.in/cgi-bin/nph-p/http/10.116.2.57/textile/upload/xUE_761.htm Good overview of smart textile research at Delhi University. Smart textiles divided into three categories:

1.	Active  The fabric has a specific quality and doesn't respond to the environment. For example: an insulated coat that will keep you warm or fire retardant clothing that remain irrespective of fire presence in the surrounding.

2.	Passive  For example: a chemical warfare suits which could capture any toxin in their active carbon adsorbent layer but allow inert gasses to pass.

3.	Very Active  Textile which adapt their functionality to changing environment automatically. Textile material change properties or shape with time or environment stimuli. In this area new concepts are being investigated where electronics, phase change materials, and stimuli sensitive polymers are being integrated/converted into textile structures for active functionality.

Shape Memory Alloy: http://www.textile.t4tech.com/technologies.asp#

SMA devices can perform the functions of switches, actuators, valves and other devices, where the activation of devices by temperature change is desirable. Shape change is predictable and reproducible to fine tolerances and considerable savings over conventional devices in the areas of weight, complexity and need for power supplies can be made. Application Areas: SMA devices have potential application in fire detectors, cooling and heating systems or any situation where heat change can be used to trigger a mechanical action.

sites to check:

http://www.ntcresearch.org/
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/biomim/home.htm
http://www.itt.edu/
http://www.swisstextiles.ch/en/index.cfm
http://www.icewes.net/projdetails.htm
http://www.luminex.it/ http://my.ecplaza.net/chamsoot/5.asp - wash-off towel http://www.chamsoot.co.kr/viewgroup_2_e.html - more detail info on wash-off towels

At IIT Delhi they are developing fabrics that can provide a thermal balance between the heat generated by the body and the heat released into the environment. research based on the absortion and release of heat by different materials.

http://www.iitd.ac.in/cgi-bin/nph-p/http/10.116.2.57/textile/pcm.htm

It's hard to say how far they got and what's been accomplished.

At SWL (Smart Wear Lab, Tampere University of Technology, Finland)they are working on Personal Protective Clothes in the context of radiation, wind and wetting effects. It is an ongoing research and there is not a lot of information on what's actually happening.

http://www.swl.tut.fi/swl.php?page=projects&part=ongoing&mode=item&id=3f3fa78bc832a&name=thermprotect

I haven't checked their links with other institutions yet. Might be more revealing, perhaps.

http://www.luminex.it/ works with http://www.stabiotextil.com/en/index.htm

see also Luminous Organism

Sunlight:

inks, sprays, paints for different materials: http://sewing.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.solaractiveintl.com/index%5Fnewa.htm
pigment blue/purple: http://www.mutr.co.uk/prodDetail.aspx?prodID=597
inks and pigments for metal, plastics… http://mail.jujo-chemical.co.jp/english/itro/ITRO.htm

Blacklight: http://www.glo-net.com/uv-powder.html

Thermochromatic ink: Color change reverses when printed area begins to cool: http://www.chromaline.com/chromaglo.html
Color-Changing Inks/ A photochromic can also change from one color to another when it is combined with a permanent-pigment ink, similar to the leucodye-ink manufacturing process described earlier. http://www.screenweb.com/inks/cont/brighten3.htm

This site doesn't deal with textiles. It's based on an optical illusion and involves projections and the whole set-up - it's not portable.

http://projects.star.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/projects/MEDIA/xv/oc.html

All about survival in the wilderness. Some of it's kind of funny. How to protect yourself from dangerous animals like bears, lions? Avoid them!

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/chp7.php

Research at IIT Delhi: http://www.iitd.ac.in/cgi-bin/nph-p/http/10.116.2.57/textile/protective.htm

Inherently fire retardant polyester filaments Breathable Coatings Heat Managing Outer-layer Structures

Flameproof Textile: http://www.textile.t4tech.com/technologies.asp#

Toughing

Polymet: http://www.textile.t4tech.com/technologies.asp#

Variations of basis materials, coating metals and designable surface structures allow for composite materials which are resistant to tearing, conductive, resistant to temperature and almost chemically resistant and thus result in innovative new products. POLYMET is a flexible solution for innovative surface structures. Completely new surfaces are created by galvanotechnical metallizing of high-tech fabrics. By metallizing - enveloping coating - fabrics based on an endless three dimensional polymer structure are furnished with specific, geometric and microporous metal structures up to micrometer dimensions with high stability. This new compound material is applicable in microchemical systems due to its variably designable metal coating.

Site with diffferent armors used for protection against bullets, animals, heat, penetration, cuts, etc. http://entropia-pioneers.kicks-ass.org/phpBB2/armorchart.htm

Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Hauz Khas New Delhi-10016(India) Dr Ashwini.K. Agrawal Tel Off: 91-11-659 1415 Res: 91-11-703 2518/ 7011627 Fax: 91-11-6526154 E-mail: ashwini_agrawal@yahoo.com Research interest: Simulation & Modelling of Manufacturing Processes and Stimuli Sensitive Textile Materials( Smart textiles)

Dr Manjeet Jassal Tel Off: 91-11-659 1426 Res: 91-11-659 6963 E-mail: manjeetjassal@hotmail.com

Development of synthetic thickeners
Synthetic thickeners developed by suitable sapnification of acrylic fibre waste
Cross-linked synthetic thickeners for pigment printing
Synthetic thickeners for disperse printing of polyester
Emulsion polymerization of methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate thickeners for pigment printing
Superabsorbent polymers
Based on Acrylic acid polymers
Based on Acrylic acid-methacrylic acid polymers
Acrylonitrile copolymerization for acrylic fibre
Terpolymerization/copolymerization for acrylic fibre precursor polymers
Simulation and modeling of terpolymerization for acrylic fibre plant (IPCL) 12.Studies on dyeable comonomers

SmartWearLab at Tampere University of Technology, Finland Address: Sinitaival 6 FIN-33720 Tampere Finland Email: smartwearlab@tut.fi

T4TECH s.r.l Via S.Nazaro 19 16145 Genoa,Italy Tel. +39 - 010 - 3628148 Fax +39 - 010 - 3621078

Piezofoils http://www.textile.t4tech.com/technologies.asp#

The sensor foils are suitable for applications in the areas of dynamic force, pressure, motion and temperature measurements up to high frequencies. Some realised examples are: flow sensors, IR sensors, vibration and puls pressure sensors, keyboards, tactile sensors in robotics, and ultrasonic sensors. Piezoelectric actuators are suitable for employing large displacements with small forces, e.g. for damping or amplification of oscillations of leight-weight structures, optical deflector components, miniature positioning devices or fans.

still to check: http://sensors-transducers.globalspec.com/ProductFinder/Sensors_Transducers_Detectors

Wireless Sensor Clusters Expressive Interfaces Micro/Self Power http://www.media.mit.edu/resenv/GiveawaySensors/index.html

Sucking energy out of the drain. It's a cool idea! http://www.nature.com/nsu/040223/040223-10.html

Microbes in wastewater could make a handy household battery. Bacteria that eat organic matter are already present in waste water. and flushing the toilet could help supply your home with electricity, thanks to a device developed by US researchers: microbial fuel cells.

They have shown that electricity can be generated from domestic wastewater, which is full of organic matter from cooking, cleaning or sewage. If the lab prototype can be scaled up to a household version, the team says it could save energy and treat waste for every home.

iSun™ - BattPak™

http://windupradio.com/icp/isun.htm

The BattPak™ acts as a 6V/12V power source, a AAA/AA NiCad or NiMh? battery recharger, and a power charger for portable electronics which feature their own internal rechargeable batteries.

The BattPak™ slides under the iSun™ into its docking bay permitting the portable power user to complete power independence, day or night, wherever they may be. The BattPak? will act as a 6V/12V power source, a AAA/AA NiCad or NiMh? battery recharger, and a power charger for portable electronics which feature their own internal rechargeable batteries.

http://www.atlantasolar.com/index.php/cPath/37_46

The Solar Charge/Motive Partner (SCP/SMP) is an electronic battery conditioning device that enhances battery performance by preventing/reducing sulfation buildup on the battery's lead plates.

Wind up cell phone charger. It charges 6.2V batteries. For 2 min winding up you get 6 min of talking time. Not sufficient for power.

http://windupradio.com/sidewinder/index.htm

Solarvent 24 hour

http://www.sailgb.com/sshop/prod_info.asp?PID=12023

This is a cool site. It discusses different topics related to alternative ways to generate energy from solar, wind, waves, biomass, fuel cells and many other ecological issues.

http://greennature.com/

Powerpack, polapulse batteries - the problem with these batteries is that you cannot recharge them.

http://www.polaroid.com/global/detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488338576&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441761406

Super rechargeable battery for different portable devices. You just need one 'disease' for all: http://www.tekkeon.com/site/products-powerrunner.php

New Zinc Matrix Power Batteries. This is great, but it's not available yet. Predicted time on a market is 2006

http://www.zmp.com/mobile.html

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/5016.html

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=592942&Main=591339

http://www.americasnetwork.com/americasnetwork/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=10317

New charger being developed by US military. Not on a market. http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040608005758&newsLang=en

Not on the market either, not at least until 2005. Instead of using rechargeable batteries, you will be able to use fuel cells instead, see FuelCell. The article talks about the fuel cells not as alternatives to rechargeable batteries, but as a complementary technology.

http://www.reed-electronics.com/ednmag/article/CA419564?industryid=2816

Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/105.html

On kinetic energy:

Describes how to make adjustments to a bike in order to use it to generate power. It gives you test charts and info about generated electricity.

http://users.erols.com/mshaver/bikegen.htm

To really dig into PedalPower see UnderstandingPedalPower. It's a great overview of how things work.

Piezoelectricity - generate energy while walking

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/Jan2003/1044037466.Ph.r.html

http://www.thinkcycle.com/tc-notes/show-note?tc_note_id=45946

How penguins save energy while walking:

http://www.biology.eku.edu/RITCHISO/waddle.html