Page 76 - TEXtalks October/November 2021

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New 3D-print

wearables

requiring no

charging

University of Arizona engineers have developed a type of wearable bio-symbiotic device, which has several
unprecedented benefits. Not only are the devices custom 3D-printed and based on body scans of wearers,
but they can operate continuously using a combination of wireless power transfer and compact energy
storage. Current wearable sensors face various limitations. Smartwatches, for example, need to be
charged, and they can only gather limited amounts of data due to their placement on the wrist. 3D scans of
a wearer’s body can be gathered via MRIs, CT scans, and even carefully combined smartphone images.

The bio-symbiotic device uses no adhesive, and it receives its power from a wireless system with a range
of several meters. The device also includes a small energy storage unit to function even if the wearer goes
out of the system’s range, including out of the house. The device can monitor parameters including
temperature and strain while a person jumped, walked on a treadmill, and used a rowing machine.

Empel: A robust

PFC-free stain

release for

textiles

Third-party testing for Green Theme Technologies (GTT), the developer of sustainable textile finishing
technologies headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, shows the brand’s Empel platform provides robust
stain release and creates a protective PFC-free treatment that outperforms other currently available options. The
Empel stain release product encapsulates each fiber inside a yarn with a molecular protective polymer, which
prevents stains from sticking to fabrics.

Oeko Tex has tested the product, and the chemistry is certified safe and PFC-free. From outdoor furniture to
children’s products such as car seats and strollers, GTT’s stain protection has numerous applications across
industries and around the globe.

The six-month trials conducted in the GTT lab in Albuquerque will move Empel forward as a highly viable option
for mills to apply stain and oil protection to many types of fabrics. The goal is to protect fabrics for easier
cleaning at lower temperatures. Stains, such as ketchup, red wine, salad dressing, suntan oil, and motor oil,
were applied on poly and acrylic fabrics commonly used in upholstery and outdoor furniture. Researchers let
the stain sit for 24 hours, then brushed off the residue. The sample was then placed in a test washing machine
and run for a single cycle in cold water. The results were rated using the ASTM standard and indicated that
Empel outperformed the other stain repellents.

October/November 2021