After watching the animated movie “The Wrong Trousers,” featuring a pair of futuristic
pants that would give people the power of climbing walls and ceilings, an idea sparked in
the minds of researchers in England: robotic clothing would help society.
These researchers created a pair of robotic pants. They named it “The Right
Trousers.” These pants were embedded with tiny electrical pumps to push out
air into tubes that expand. This functionality helped the elderly or disabled people with
issues such as standing up.
Yoel Fink, a materials science professor at MIT said, “We’re sort of at the pre-iPhone
announcement [stage]. It’s very, very exciting.”
Many university labs around the world are working to take a larger step toward
industrializing robotic clothing, which will help us in our everyday life, as well as keep
us up to date with our health.
In June, researchers in Australia created the first robotic textile fibers. These could make
fabric move automatically. Researchers say that this is one step towards a future of
robotic clothing. In fact, MIT have fabricated a computer programmable thread and built
fiber batteries that could go into clothes.
In Australia, researchers are currently creating a robotic fabric that can shapeshift. The
team, led by Than No Do, has created tiny silicon tubes, around the size of yarn. They
can be weaved into fabric.
However, many challenges still remain for Than Nho Do’s team, such as making the
threads smaller, washing machine safe, and easier to add to other fabrics without adding
weight or bulk.
To truly create smart clothing, however, requires computing power. This is essential, as
robotic clothing without any real usage would just be a normal piece of clothing.
Researchers are currently attempting to build robotic fabrics that can collect and process
data collected from the human skin, and make commands the clothes would obey.
Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, professor of mechanical engineering at Yale University, said
that many hurdles and challenges will need to be overcome before robotic clothing “reach
their full potential.” She adds that the size will be a challenge too, as the robotic fibers
would make wearing difficult and uncomfortable.
However, she says that the researchers will figure out a way. After all, 20 years ago,
humanity would never have thought we would have smartphones, smart homes, and even
smart cars. “Recent breakthroughs,” Kramer Bottiglio said, “point toward a not-so-distant
future where smart textiles will be a part of our everyday wardrobe”
pants that would give people the power of climbing walls and ceilings, an idea sparked in
the minds of researchers in England: robotic clothing would help society.
These researchers created a pair of robotic pants. They named it “The Right
Trousers.” These pants were embedded with tiny electrical pumps to push out
air into tubes that expand. This functionality helped the elderly or disabled people with
issues such as standing up.
Yoel Fink, a materials science professor at MIT said, “We’re sort of at the pre-iPhone
announcement [stage]. It’s very, very exciting.”
Many university labs around the world are working to take a larger step toward
industrializing robotic clothing, which will help us in our everyday life, as well as keep
us up to date with our health.
In June, researchers in Australia created the first robotic textile fibers. These could make
fabric move automatically. Researchers say that this is one step towards a future of
robotic clothing. In fact, MIT have fabricated a computer programmable thread and built
fiber batteries that could go into clothes.
In Australia, researchers are currently creating a robotic fabric that can shapeshift. The
team, led by Than No Do, has created tiny silicon tubes, around the size of yarn. They
can be weaved into fabric.
However, many challenges still remain for Than Nho Do’s team, such as making the
threads smaller, washing machine safe, and easier to add to other fabrics without adding
weight or bulk.
To truly create smart clothing, however, requires computing power. This is essential, as
robotic clothing without any real usage would just be a normal piece of clothing.
Researchers are currently attempting to build robotic fabrics that can collect and process
data collected from the human skin, and make commands the clothes would obey.
Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, professor of mechanical engineering at Yale University, said
that many hurdles and challenges will need to be overcome before robotic clothing “reach
their full potential.” She adds that the size will be a challenge too, as the robotic fibers
would make wearing difficult and uncomfortable.
However, she says that the researchers will figure out a way. After all, 20 years ago,
humanity would never have thought we would have smartphones, smart homes, and even
smart cars. “Recent breakthroughs,” Kramer Bottiglio said, “point toward a not-so-distant
future where smart textiles will be a part of our everyday wardrobe”
