From Sweater to Satellite: Knitted Antennas Could Revolutionize Remote Communication
A breakthrough in textile engineering from Columbia Engineering researchers promises to replace bulky satellite antennas with lightweight, flexible radio-frequency communications antennas that can be knit into garments.
What if you could turn yourself into a communication device? Well, not yourself per se, but rather your outfits. Going on vacation to a remote cabin in the wilderness with no satellite antennas? No problem! Just put your antenna-laden jacket on and you're good to go!
"By integrating the textile fabrication and antenna patterning into a single process, the team streamlined the fabrication process and alleviated common defects in fabric-based antennas. The group is the first to adapt flat-knitting techniques to incorporate antennas directly during the fabric production procedure—integrated fabrication—and is able to do it at low cost and high yield on an industrial scale. For example, each of the prototype metasurfaces with a footprint of approximately one square meter was knit within 45 minutes. In addition, the flat-knit fabric devices withstood repeated washing and stretching on a frame," wrote Holly Evarts in a recent article for Columbia Engineering.
Created by the editors of New Equipment Digest and Plant Services, Fun Innovations Friday is a feel-good blog that showcases how advances in science, math, engineering, and technology are making our world more whimsical. Here's another post that's guaranteed to brighten your day.
