[ BRIEFS ] breakthroughs Innovations in advanced textiles Breakthrough in longer-lasting implantable batteries R esearchers at MIT have come up with a way to improve the energy density of nonrechargeable batteries that could enable up to a 50 percent increase in useful lifetime, or a corresponding decrease in size and weight for a given amount of power or energy capacity. The new technology could also improve safety, with little or no increase in cost. These batteries play a crucial role in implantable medical devices such as pacemakers. Replacing the battery in a pacemaker or other medical implant requires a surgical procedure, so any increase in the longevity of their batteries impacts the patient's quality of life. Other applications could include sensors in tracking devices for shipments to ensure that temperature and humidity requirements are maintained. They may also be used in remotely operated aerial or underwater vehicles that need to remain ready for deployment over long periods of time. Photo: Courtesy of the researchers/MIT 16 SPECIALTY FABRICS REVIEW / February 2023 Leather-like " Flaux " is made from flowers " Flaux " is a new leather-like, textile material that uses waste from commercially produced flowers as its main ingredient and dye. When Irene Purasachit was a design student at Aalto University in Finland, she began to reflect on the aftermath of wedding ceremonies in her home country of Thailand, where flowers ended up in trash piles after the ceremonies. She subsequently attended a biomaterial course where she developed a method for drying, grinding and mixing petals into pulp. In the next step, the pulp was pressed into a material resembling leather which can be used to replace animal leather in garments and accessories. The project was part of Aalto University's " The Wardrobe of the Future " exhibition, which was organized to support the reimagining of fashion for a sustainable future. Photo: Aalto University