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New device
harvests electricity
from human motion
Vanderbilt University’s Nanomaterials and Energy Devices Laboratory has developed a new, ultrathin energy
harvesting system that has the potential to power your cell phone, fitness tracker and other personal electronic
Cut-Tex® PRO Currently, there is a tremendous amount of research aimed at discovering effective ways to tap ambient energy
devices as you walk, wave and even when you are sitting down.
sources. “Compared to the other approaches designed to harvest energy from human motion, our method has
two fundamental advantages,” said Pint. “The materials are atomically thin and small enough to be
The ultimate cut resistant fabric impregnated into textiles without affecting the fabric’s look or feel and it can extract energy from movements
that are slower than 10 Hertz—10 cycles per second—over the whole low-frequency window of movements
Cut-Tex® PRO is an ultra-high performance cut and cut resistance level 2 and in very rare occasions corresponding to human motion.”
slash resistant fabric, produced in the United Kingdom. level 3 (on a scale of 1 to 5). Cut-Tex® PRO fabric as The Vanderbilt lab’s ultrathin energy harvester is based on the group’s research on advanced battery systems.
a stand-alone fabric offers the highest cut resistance Over the past three years, the team has explored the fundamental response of battery materials to bending and
Cut-Tex® PRO is offering over 30N of cut resistance level 5, which makes it at least 5 times more cut stretching. They were the first to demonstrate experimentally that the operating voltage changes when battery
according to the widely respected ISO 13997:1999 resistant than Kevlar® products rated level 3 at 5N. materials are placed under stress. Under tension, the voltage rises and under compression, it drops.
standard. According to the new ANSI/ISEA 2016
standard using the ASTM F2992-15 test protocol Cut-Tex® PRO has primarily been designed to act
and the Tomodynamometer (TDM-100) apparatus, as an effective, reliable and comfortable shield,
Cut-Tex® PRO is offering approx. 3,000 grams of cut protecting vulnerable areas of the human body, in
resistance. particular the Radial, Brachial, Carotid, Axillary and
Femoral Arteries from laceration and the wearer from
Most Kevlar® fabrics offer an ISO 13997:1999 blade rapid blood loss and potential death. Porsche first with
braided carbon wheels
The Wetsleeve, a patented lightweight hydration solution worn on
Hydration solution its goal on Kickstarter with 516% and over 2,100 backers on board in Porsche 20-inch 911 Turbo Carbon Wheel for the 911 Turbo S
the forearm, which launched on Kickstarter in June, has surpassed
Exclusive Series, 2017, Porsche AG. © Porsche AGThey are
worn on the forearm the first 30 days of the campaign. each made from some 18 kilometres of carbon fibre and cost
over €15,000 a vehicle set – Porsche has become the world’s
Wetsleeve’s detachable hydration reservoir is durable, leak proof
and made of FDA-approved food grade materials. With a volume first vehicle manufacturer to offer lightweight wheels made from
capacity of 12 oz (350ml), it can be easily filled with water or any braided carbon fibre. They will be available from January 2018 as
other sports drink. The replaceable silicone mouthpiece situated an option for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series.
towards the wrist allows the wearer to effortlessly drink from a
natural position. The zip seal flap and roll-top opening is also Manufactured entirely from carbon fibre reinforced polymer
designed to allow for quick and easy refills and ensures no leakage. (CFRP), the wheels essentially comprise two components. The
wheel centre is made from carbon-fibre fabric. This involves
A built-in spine is said to ensure the reservoir maintains its shape cutting and assembling over 200 individual components. The
and keeps the liquid distributed across the forearm at all times- second component is the rim base made from braided carbon
even during the most rigorous activities. After each sip, the reservoir fibre by what is currently the world’s largest carbon fibre braiding
continuously compresses to prevent the liquid from sloshing machine with a diameter of approximately nine metres.
around during use, the company explains.
August/September 2017 August/September 2017
