Roboticizing fabric by integrating functional fibers
Abstract
Fabrics are key materials for a variety of applications that require flexibility, breathability, small storage footprint, and low weight. While fabrics are conventionally passive materials with static properties, emerging technologies have provided many flexible materials that can respond to external stimuli for actuation, structural control, and sensing. Here, we improve upon and process these responsive materials into functional fibers that we integrate into everyday fabrics and demonstrate as fabric-based robots that move, support loads, and allow closed-loop controls, all while retaining the desirable qualities of fabric. Robotic fabrics present a means to create smart adaptable clothing, self-deployable shelters, and lightweight shape-changing machinery.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 28, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.2006211117
Entities
People
- R Adam Bilodeau
- Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio
- Sang Yup Kim
- Trevor L Buckner
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Yale University