When pine cones fall from the trees, their scales open, allowing the seeds to be released. This is because these scales are made of two layers of fibers acting in different directions. Stealing this idea from nature, a team of U.K. researchers has designed a new material to make 'smart' clothing which adapts itself to changing temperatures. Like the scales of pine codes, this 'smart' material has two layers. The top one has small spikes, which open or close to let the outside air flow to cool you or to protect you. And as the second layer is waterproof, you should always feel comfortable wearing these clothes imitating nature. Prototypes will be shown next year at EXPO 2005, in Aichi, Japan. And you should be able to buy this kind of 'smart' clothes in a few years from now. Read more...
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Here is a schematic representation of this new type of 'smart' clothing. When the outside temperature falls, the spikes close and the outside air is blocked. And when you get hot, the spikes open to let the outside air cool you. (Credit: University of Bath's Centre for Biomimetics) |
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And this is a pine code which has fallen on the ground and released its seeds (Credit: University of Cincinnati, Clermont College) |
The scales are able to open because they are made of two layers of stiff fibres running in different directions. As the cone dries out, the inside of the scale expands more than the outside, causing the scale to bend outwards, releasing the seed held inside. This is a similar principle as the smart clothing.
Here is the introduction of a news release from the University of Bath, one of the two universities working on the project.
A new type of 'smart' clothing which adapts to changing temperatures to keep the wearer comfortable is being developed by two universities using nature as a guide.
The clothing will use the latest in micro technology to produce material which will let in air to cool a wearer when it is hot and shut out air when it is cold. This is similar to a system used by pine cones to open up and emit seeds.
The University of Bath and the London College of Fashion are jointly researching the material, which they think could be in everyday use by people within a few years.
And here are details about this new material.
The smart garments will consist of a top layer of tiny spikes of water-absorbent material, possibly wool, each only 1/200th of a millimetre wide. When the wearer of the clothing gets hot and sweats, the tiny spikes in the material will react to the moisture and automatically open up, so that air from the outside can get through the material to cool the wearer. When the wearer stops sweating, the spikes will close down again to stop air getting in.
The lower layer will be of material that is not porous so that rain can never get through from the outside, whether the spikes are open or closed.
You also should know that the personal motto of one the promoters of the projects is "Stealing Ideas from Nature."
The technology of the material is being designed by the University of Bath's Centre for Biomimetics, which takes ideas from nature and turns them into new technology.
Its head, Professor Julian Vincent, said: "The new smart clothing will make wearers' lives much more comfortable by automatically adjusting their clothing to control their body temperature.
Before being integrated into coats, trousers or dresses within a few years, prototypes using this material will be shown next year at EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan in the UK Pavilion.
Sources: University of Bath news release, via EurekAlert!, October , 2004; and various other websites
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