Active Materials Technology for Wearable Systems – Brad Holschuh, Assistant Professor; Co-Director, Wearable Technology Laboratory, Dept. of Design, Housing & Apparel, University of Minnesota.
Active materials are a broad category of materials that can change shape/dimension under stimulation. These materials – which vary wildly in capability, form, and actuation mode – are exciting to consider for wearable systems, as they enable new types of devices and garments capable of changing shape (e.g., actuating) on command. In this talk, I will present our previous work on active materials development for controllable compression garments, and will discuss the broader potential for these types of systems for wearable robotics and medical device development.