Working in partnership with NASA, researchers at the University of Minnesota have created a robotic, shapeshifting textile that can be used to create self-fitting garments powered only by body heat.
The textiles look very similar to typical knits, except they are created using a special group of materials called shape memory alloys, which change shape when exposed to heat.
"This is an important step forward in the creation of robotic textiles for on-body applications," said Brad Holschuh, one of the professors behind the study, in a release.
He added that the material solves two big problems simultaneously: getting material to change shape without significant power or heat and forcing material to conform to regions of the body that are irregularly shaped.
The shape-shifting knits can be customized into different garments, but researchers focused primarily on the leg. Examples of future use could be to create compression garments that are initially loose fitting and easy to put on, then compress to squeeze the wearer.
Researchers believe that these materials could have potential uses in a variety of fields, including the aerospace and medical industries.
The reasearch was funded through a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship and MnDRIVE, an initiative that aims to back "moonshot" ideas in Minnesota.
The project was a collaboration between the College of Design and College of Science and Engineering. It was led by graduate students Kevin Eschen and Rachael Granberry. In addition to Holschuh, Professor Julianna Abel also participated in the study.
"This technology required advancements on multiple scales," Abel said. "Each advancement is important, but together they create a functionality that didn't exist before."
