Page 76 - TEXtalks November/December 2021

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The SmartTex shirt for astronaut’s
vital functions monitoring
In cooperation with DSI Aerospace Technology, the
German Aerospace Centre (DLR) has developed a
new SmarTex Shirt that will use integrated sensors to
transfer physiological data from astronauts to Earth via
a wireless communication network. SmartTex will be
tested as part of the Wireless Compose-2 (WICO2)
project. The SmartTex shirt is intended to provide a
continuous picture of the vital functions of astronauts,
which will be particularly relevant for future long-term
human-crewed space missions to the Moon and Mars.
Future transfer of the SmartTex technology to fitness
and telemedicine applications is expected.
During the BEAT experiment (Ballistocardiography for
Extraterrestrial Applications and long-Term missions),
Maurer will be the first astronaut to wear a T-shirt
equipped with sensors that measure his ballistocardiography data, such as pulse and relative blood
pressure. For this purpose, the sensors were calibrated in the envihab research facility at the DLR
Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne.
In a typical SmarTex Shirt, the wireless communication network reads sensor data and can determine
the position of people and objects in space by propagation times of radio pulses. It is also available as a
platform for several experiments on the ISS. The data is temporarily stored within the network and read
out at regular intervals by the astronauts. It can give them indications regarding their vital signs and
could be beneficial.
Michelman's Unyte: A new surface modification solution for technical textiles
Michelman (Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.) announced a new adhesion, and heat solutions provide heat resistance.
surface modification solution that helps improve Glide increases lubricity and slip and facilitates tow
technical textiles' performance and functional spreading of fibers in technical textile production.
behavior in applications including construction, ballistic, Unyte Grip promotes the adhesion between fibers
medical and hygiene, automotive, filtration media, and polymeric matrices, helping to improve various
prepreg, and consumer products. Unyte is Michelman's functional or mechanical properties. Unyte Slip helps
versatile family of water-based technologies that help prevent fabrics, nonwovens, and prepregs that need
achieve advanced form and function in woven and to be stacked or rolled without sticking together.
nonwoven materials used to design technical textiles
and prepreg fabrics. These solutions enhance textile Unyte Resist products are designed to provide
products' performance, Michelman says, by excellent wet-out and moisture/chemical resistance to
improving adhesion, binding, slip, processability, and fabrics, wovens, and nonwovens. Unyte Print boosts
chemical and heat resistance. ink adhesion for improved print receptivity and
minimal color bleed. Fabrics that are over-printed for
The Unyte family includes Unyte Bind, Unyte Heat, decoration and branding; or identification codes
Unyte Glide, Unyte Grip, Unyte Slide, Unyte Print, and where legibility is essential can benefit from these
Unyte Resist. The Bind improves fiber-to-fiber solutions.
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James Heal introduces new
HydroView hydrostatic head tester
James Heal’s new HydroView hydrostatic head tester is the latest instrument in the company’s performance
testing range. It is designed to measure the penetration of water in materials that have an end-user that requires
water resistance, such as those in the medical, apparel, geotextiles, and nonwovens sectors – from protective
gloves, diving drysuits, and winter sports apparel to fishing waders, roofing, tenting, groundsheets and more.
HydroView was developed following extensive user research. James Heal’s product innovation team discovered
that users were looking for an instrument that is more flexible and user-friendly than what is currently available
on the market. It is an easier-to-use instrument with integrated proprietary TestWise software developed
in-house. The new HydroView hydrostatic tester has a 10-inch touchscreen that allows users to choose from
pre-loaded standards or create their own.
Test reports are easy to view and analyze on-screen and customized for export to Excel or PDF. The vertical
clamping ensures an effective seal without distortion, even on thicker specimens, for accurate and repeatable
testing. The new instrument can test across pressures from 0-10,000 mbar, making it suitable for testing even
the most high-performance waterproof system.
Janus Textile: A revolutionary breakthrough
to keep you warm and cool you down
The researchers in Belgium have unveiled the design for a fabric that could keep a person warm when worn
one way while cooling them down if worn inside out. The researchers present a theoretical design for a 20 µm
thick Janus textile, named after the two-faced Roman god. The two interwoven sides of the material are com-
posed of two different fibers – dielectric and metallic, each with very different infrared-emitting properties. The
dielectric fibers can emit large amounts of radiation on one side, while the metallic fibers have low emissivity on
the other side.
The team used a thermal model to test their asymmetrical fabric to calculate the differences between each
side’s infrared transmission, reflection, and absorption properties. They discovered that if the Janus textile is
worn with its dielectric fibers touching the skin, large amounts of radiation could be prevented from escaping,
keeping the wearer comfortably warm in temperatures as low as 11°C.
However, if the fabric is flipped inside-out, it could emit as much radiation as bare skin, keeping the wearer cool
in temperatures as high as 24°C. Although large-scale material manufacturing is not feasible, the researchers
hope their results will inspire further research into similar fabrics.
November/December 2021