A groundbreaking project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is poised to revolutionize the world of textiles by harnessing the same forces that cause your wool sweater to shrink when washed incorrectly.
Imagine having the power to adjust the fit of your clothes on the fly, just like that. This ambitious endeavor aims to create shape-shifting fabrics, named FibeRobo, with applications ranging from medical devices to everyday apparel to industrial tools like tarps and nets.
The core innovation of this project lies in the development of a programmable, actuating fiber that responds to temperature changes by contracting and then self-reversing without the need for embedded sensors or rigid components. Researchers at MIT have collaborated to present their findings on the development of such a fiber, one that seamlessly changes shape and integrates seamlessly into existing textile manufacturing processes.
Jack Forman, a graduate student in the Tangible Media Group of the MIT Media Lab, with a secondary affiliation at the Center for Bits and Atoms, and lead author of a paper on the actuating fiber, explained, “We use textiles for everything. We make planes with fiber-reinforced composites, we cover the International Space Station with a radiation-shielding fabric, we use them for personal expression and performance wear.”
“So much of our environment is adaptive and responsive, but the one thing that needs to be the most adaptive and responsive—textiles—is completely inert.”
The key to this breakthrough lies in a material called liquid crystal elastomer (LCE), which is extruded through a specially designed machine resembling a hot glue gun. Once extruded, the material is exposed to UV light to solidify it, resulting a flexible yet durable fiber. This process allows for the production of over half a mile of fiber per day, meeting the necessary specifications for strength, fineness, and durability required for textile applications.
By carefully controlling the chemical composition of the LCE, the MIT press explains that it can fine-tune the properties of the fiber, such as its thickness and the temperature at which it undergoes shape change. This meticulous approach has led to the development of LCE fiber capable of changing shape at skin-safe temperatures, making it suitable for wearable fabrics.
“At the end of the day, you don’t want a diva fiber. You want a fiber that, when you are working with it, falls into the ensemble of materials—one that you can work with just like any other fiber material, but then it has a lot of exciting new capabilities,” Forman says.
The potential applications of this technology are vast and varied. The fiber, priced at a fraction of similar shape-changing fabrics, ca shrink up to 25% of its size when exposed to heat, making it ideal for applications like self-constricting compression sleeves for sports or exercise. For more industrial uses, such as securing cargo on pallets, the fiber can shrink up to 40% of its size, offering a convenient and efficient solution.
One heartwarming application of this technology is the creation of a compression vest for Professor, a dog suffering from separation anxiety. Compression vests have been shown to alleviate anxiety in pets, and the flexibility of the LCE fiber allows for the creation of customized solutions to meet individual needs.
Although the current form of LCE is not recyclable, the majority of clothing items ultimately find their way to landfills due to either improper fit or lack of desire. A fabric capable of changing its shape would address these concerns, potentially extending the lifespan of garments.
Additionally, products utilizing FibeRobo technology are likely to be priced in a manner that discourages disposal when they are no longer desired.
See more about this incredible invention in this video from MIT.
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