Jordan Tabor’s Winning Image in the 2018 NC State Research Image Contest

In the SmARTextiles lab, we research smart, adaptive, and responsive textiles. We strive to create electronic textiles (e-texitles) which are textiles with enhanced functionality like sensing, heating/cooling, or energy storage. In most cases, e-textile products are not produced via large-scale manufacturing processes, which serves as a barrier to commercialization. This image displays a multi-component fiber produced in a commercially viable extrusion process. In my research, I will produce this unique fiber cross-section with a conductive polymer which will allow the fiber to act as a sensor. The unique cross-sectional shape will allow the fiber to sense a variety of stimuli. Ultimately, these sensory fibers will be incorporated into prosthetic devices such that the environment within prosthetics may be monitored and better understood. Amputees are often uncomfortable when wearing their prosthetics. With a better understanding of the inner prosthetic environment, the design of prosthetics and comfort of amputees may be improved.