A collaborative team from the MIT Media Lab and the Royal College of Art recently developed a green biological fabric “bio-skin” designed with bacterial intervention. The surface of the fabric will change accordingly under the influence of sweat and humidity.
The back of the biofabric garment has some gill-style diamond-shaped openings that open when exposed to sweat
The biofabric relies on Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium discovered by a Japanese samurai 1,000 years ago. In Japan, this microorganism is used to ferment foods such as natto (a fermented food made from soybeans). .
The fabric covering the vents opens automatically when the wearer’s sweat soaks the fabric.
The collaborative team used the bacterium’s ability to expand and contract when exposed to water to develop a way to incorporate it into materials and create clothing using the bacteria-infused fabric.
The vents provide heat dissipation for the wearer during exercise
The MIT Media Lab has built a method that can automatically print fresh cells onto thin fabrics. This new type of material can exhibit a variety of bending abilities in different times and spaces.
A video released by the experimental team demonstrates the composition of the gill-shaped diamond-shaped openings in the clothing. Once the wearer’s body starts to heat up and sweat, these gill-shaped diamond-shaped openings will slowly open to provide better ventilation and cooling. . When humidity levels decrease, the gill-shaped diamond-shaped openings fold back to cover the original pores. The design of this sportswear is inspired by the reaction of Natto bacteria cells in different parts of the body and creates an extremely effective material level movement effect. The experience of wearing such clothes is very special because once people put on the clothes, they are alive Came over.
In addition to this single structural bending variation, different combinations of printing modes and materials can create more complex variations.
Watch the hygrothermal reaction of biological fabrics up close in the video
By embedding heating circuits, the material can be controlled by electrical signals. Further developments of the cell could include tea bag steam indicator tags, simulated flowers that open and close the petals, and color-changing fabrics.
The leaves can be activated by heat and steam to bounce bio-tea leaves.
The release of steam causes the curled leaves to unwind
A bioprinter designed and created by the MIT Media Lab can custom-print natto cell materials.
When the biological flowers are sprayed with water, they slowly bloom and change shape and color at the same time.
These are just part of the project, where the team is developing relevant sportswear in conjunction with relevant sports brands. Bioengineering allows us to explore more possibilities of combining innovative materials with traditional clothing-making techniques. There are also designers who are cultivating bacteria in the laboratory and designing bioluminescent lamps and devices that can grow larger as the wearable object grows. Growth biomaterials.
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